Rennes (AFP)

Stade Rennais, reduced to ten and nine players, still had a nightmare aroused Thursday in the Europa League and lost 1-0 to the Romanians of Cluj, delighted with the opportunity.

Julien Stéphan, the Rennes coach, is weakened by this new catastrophic evening, started by the expulsion in the 5th minute of his goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, just back from a sprained knee after three weeks of care.

On a ball lost by Morel (5th), the most experienced of the squad, Mendy came out at the edge of the area and broke Lacina Traoré, the former Monaco player. Free kick only, but red card for Mendy replaced in the cages by Pepe Bonet, 16, pro since early July.

Deac's unstoppable shot, after a Romanian combination concealed by the Breton wall, allowed Cluj to open the scoring. 1-0, it could not start worse, and it went on 10 against 11.

It could have worked out, at the half-hour mark, when the Russian referee whistled a penalty for a Romanian foul on Hunou in the box (27th), but Niang, promoted captain, missed the draw by pulling next ... his second consecutive loss in this exercise after the derby against Nantes.

- Frustrating -

It could have been worse, when on a missed back pass Morel (12th), Bonet cleared in panic, or when a volley volley Djokovic (22nd), all alone, failed in the small net.

Cluj, dangerous against, had other opportunities to move to 2-0: a head of Deac alone, just above (24th), a tap Bonet on a tight shot of the same Deac (32) or a head of Traoré right next door (33rd). Or when Bonet, against the right foot, kicked Djokovic's right-foot shot (38).

Rennes hit the bottom early in the second period, when on a bad recovery Bonet, his friend Camavinga, the other U17 Rennes, was sent off for having tackled from behind OM-trained Billel Omrani last defender at the edge of the surface (46th). New red card.

The Romanians have continued to 11 against 9, facing Rennes deprived of their prodigy Angolan.

The following was sad. Cluj stopped playing and captain Niang missed everything he did. Too many shots not framed, heads up, missed passes, duels lost.

Rennes pushed, pushed, and dominated Cluj, reduced to ten by the expulsion of Susic (83), but failed to reverse the course of this frustrating match despite a commitment at all times.

Ten games without a win (7 wins, 3 draws) since the end of August: a sacred black series for Stephan, who smiled in May (victory in the Coupe de France) and August (leader of L1).

"Europe on the horizon, proudly honor these blazons", wrote the Roazhon Celtic Kop on a banner. With a point in three games, this horizon is well plugged.

© 2019 AFP