Martin Terrier (right) left Lyon this summer to join Stade Rennais. - Maxime Le Pihif / SIPA

  • Third in the last financial year, Stade Rennais is launching its season this Saturday evening in Lille.
  • Qualified directly for the Champions League, the Breton club will again be a serious candidate for a European place this season.
  • Coach Julien Stéphan does not want to ignite, however, believing that the club "can not change status in two years".

That it seems very far from the time (not so distant) when Stade Rennais was taking full face with its label of "nice loser". Because for two seasons, the Rouge et Noir have entered another dimension. After two appearances in the Europa League and a victory in the Coupe de France against PSG, Julien Stéphan's players managed to win the first podium in their history last season. And to top it off, this fall they will discover the joys of the Champions League without having to stuff themselves with preliminary rounds.

[PROS]

👀 The numbers to know before this first day of @ Ligue1UberEats 👉 https://t.co/LouFEXQW3r
--- # LOSCSRFC # AllezRennes # ToutDonner 💪🔴⚫ pic.twitter.com/zW2FuTmz6u

- Stade Rennais FC (@staderennais) August 21, 2020

It is therefore on the strength of this new status that Stade Rennais will start its season this Saturday evening on the Losc pitch, one of the other big teams in this championship. Proof that the club has grown, it no longer hides its ambitions with the stated objective "to fight each season for the top 5", according to its president Nicolas Holveck, appointed at the start of confinement.

"You cannot change status in two years"

Great architect of this Rennes hype, coach Julien Stéphan does not want to ignite either. No, Rennes will not be the team to beat this season in Ligue 1. “There are other teams with a different status than ours”, he assures us. He just concedes that "there will certainly be a different perspective". But "we can not change status like that in two years even if we have certainly made a positive development," continues the Breton coach.

Patrick Vieira: “Stade Rennais has the workforce to play the leading roles in the championship. They will certainly be among the favorites, offering consistent football. I like their approach and what they are trying to achieve. »#SRFC #OGCNSRFC pic.twitter.com/ULflVna3XJ

- Kévin Guisnel (@KevinGuisnel) August 15, 2020

Comforted in his role as captain, Damien Da Silva does not want, either, "to put more pressure than that" with this new status of heavyweight in the championship. "We may be more expected but it's a good thing, it means that we did what was necessary last season", indicates the central defender, aware of having "set the bar high". The challenge for Rennes will therefore be to stay at this level. And as Nicolas Holveck reminds us, “to confirm, it is always harder than to reach it”.

Two reinforcements expected in defense and attack

At the dawn of this season, which will inevitably be historic for the Bretons with the Champions League, Julien Stéphan presents himself in any case with more certainty than at the start of last season. After the victory in the Coupe de France, the Rennes squad had been totally upset with the departure of six holders (Ben Arfa, André, Sarr…) and late arrivals in the transfer window. "We have a more substantial hard core with a group that is also very young," said the Rennes coach.

As for the transfer window, Stade Rennais is on schedule. After Martin Terrier, he recruited last week the Moroccan central defender Nayef Aguerd, who arrived for five million euros from Dijon. Rennes is now targeting as a priority another defender as well as an attacker. “And then there may be other opportunities,” says Julien Stéphan. They will surely not be too much this season to shine in Ligue 1 and perform well in C1.

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