Bruno Genesio will make his debut on the Rennes bench this Wednesday evening against OM.

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JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER / AFP

  • New Stade Rennais coach, Bruno Genesio will make his debut on the Breton bench this Wednesday evening against OM.

  • The former OL coach will quickly have to find solutions to revive a Rennes team in crisis.

  • In particular, he will have to revitalize an offensive sector in lack of efficiency.

It was a defeat against Stade Rennais on April 2, 2019 in the semi-final of the Coupe de France that had partially sealed his fate.

A little less than two years after leaving Lyon, Bruno Genesio will return to the French lawns this Wednesday evening.

Successor of Julien Stéphan, the new coach will make his first on the Rennes bench against OM for a late match of the 22nd day of Ligue 1. A meeting between two sick teams during which the hot Jorge Sampaioli will also make his debut as OM coach.

But not enough to move Bruno Genesio who considers this duel of "beginners" anecdotal.

"The most important will be what we will show on the ground," he said Monday at a press conference.

In view of the latest performances by the Rouge et Noirs, the new Rennes coach has in any case something to do with it.

Regain Confidence and Break the Black Series

During his first training on Saturday, he claims to have found "a combative, hardworking and concerned group".

Yet it is in a club in crisis that the 54-year-old technician has just landed.

Falling back to 10th place, far from its European ambitions, Stade Rennais has not moved forward since the defeat against Lille on January 24 with a series of six games without a win in Ligue 1, including four consecutive defeats.

“We must of course put an end to this negative series, assures Bruno Genesio.

But before talking about the result, we must rethink the game. The team must first find pleasure and enthusiasm and not be obsessed with the result ”.

To re-mobilize his troops, Pep Genesio has put himself in “positive attitude” mode.

Returning from China at the end of the year, he said “he had the chance to recharge his batteries for two and a half months and be completely fresh”.

A freshness on which he intends to rely to "bring confidence and positive energy within the group" and bring the famous "psychological trigger".

“Because this team has potential but it sometimes plays a bit with the handbrake,” he says.

Energize an ineffective attack

Arriving on the Rennes bench two-thirds of the season, Bruno Genesio has not planned, at least for the moment, to “revolutionize everything” within the Breton club.

He also intends to build on the work of his predecessor by bringing "his personal touch" and "some tactical adjustments".

It is in the offensive sector that his choices will be the most scrutinized.

Because the Rennes attack has been difficult to see since the start of the season.

If the team often monopolizes the ball, it is particularly ineffective in front of goal with only 33 goals scored and no player with more than four goals.

A recurring problem that the new coach has had time to analyze.

"The team is playing rather well but it lacks confidence and determination in the last 20-25 meters to take risks", underlines Bruno Genesio, who would like his team "to find a bit of madness".

"This team is made to have possession with a lot of technical players," he said.

But sometimes you have to know how to change the pace and take risks to throw your opponent off balance ”.

Relaunch executives and bring competition

It is difficult to stand out a player lately in Rennes.

Because it is indeed a collective bankruptcy that we have been witnessing for several matches with a team without solution and which is sorely lacking in character.

Bruno Genesio's challenge will therefore be to revive failing executives such as Steven Nzonzi, Benjamin Bourigeaud or Captain Damien Da Silva.

Without forgetting the nugget Eduardo Camavinga, which has not succeeded much for some time.

Aware of the quality of its workforce, "one of the best in Ligue 1", Bruno Genesio will therefore get down to shaking some to "get them out of their comfort zone".

The arrival of a new coach also often reshuffles the cards within a group.

Bruno Genesio should thus give a chance "to players who felt less concerned to bring competition".

Discarded from the group in the last match against Lyon, Yann Gboho, James Léa Siliki and Brandon Soppy should therefore with Bruno Genesio have the opportunity to prove themselves on the field.

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