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Sunday Preview: Lyon face much-changed Rennes

To say it's been a busy summer for both Stade Rennais and Olympique Lyonnais would be an understatement. Neither side have changed their manager; the former kept faith with Julien Stéphan despite a disappointing end to the season, and Les Gones heavily backed Pierre Sage in the mercato, adding several new players whom they hope will be key as they aim to push Paris Saint-Germain for the title. Fittingly scheduled for Sunday evening, the two ambitious sides face off at Roazhon Park on Sunday night aiming to get a leg up on finishing among the European places by taking points off a direct rival.
E. DEVIN
Published on 08/17/2024 at 20:00
2-minute read
Lyon will start the season with Lucas Perri in goal

Rennes a work in progress

Rennes will enter the match having countenanced a large number of departures, with promising young attacker Désiré Doué's move to PSG the latest of these. After playing in Paris with France, he made the move to the capital, but is only the latest in a raft of familiar faces to depart the club. Martin Terrier, Enzo Le Fée, Guela Doué and Fabian Rieder were all regular parts of the team last season, and all have left for pastures new. With Stéphan often keen on playing with an attacking system that partnered Terrier with one of Gouiri or Arnaud Kalimuendo, it remains to be seen if he'll make a tactical shift to reflect the change in personnel at his disposal.

He'll also be forced to make changes in defence -- Doué was the team's regular right back under Stéphan, following the exit of Lorenz Assignon, and with Arthur Theate and Adrien Truffert also heavily linked with moves away, he will have to countenance a changed defence as well. The cupboard is hardly bare for Stéphan, though -- Kalimuendo (who is a doubt with a knee injury) is a capable attacker, and promising Danish playmaker Albert Groenbaek has impressed in preseason, to say nothing of certified club legend Benjamin Bourigeaud. In front of their home crowd, Rennes are sure to be eager to make a strong impression to kick off the season.

'Gone' back home for Mikautadze

After a sensational performance in the European Championships and in the run-in to (almost) help FC Metz avoid the drop, Georges Mikautadze was hot property this summer, sought by a host of a clubs. He chose a return to Lyon, having been a part of their academy as a youngster, and adds his name to a lengthy list of new faces.  Center back Moussa Niakhaté is the only major new permanent arrival, but the team also made permanent the loans of four players who had been key to their charge up the table in the form of Orel Mangala, Ernest Nuamah, Duje Caleta-Car, and Saïd Benrahma.  

Mikautadze and Niakahaté are both likely to start, and once Alexandre Lacazette and Rayan Cherki are back up to full speed following their time in Paris, Lyon will look to that continuity to continue a run of form that saw them pick up more points in 2024 in Ligue 1 than any other side, making them good value for a road win to start the campaign. 

Predicted lineups:

Stade Rennais (4-4-2): Mandanda; Hateboer (or Seidu), Østigard, Wooh, Truffert; Bourigeaud, Matusiwa, Kamara, Groenbaek; Gouiri, Blas

Olympique Lyonnais (4-3-3): Perri; Mata, Niakhaté, Caleta-Car, Abner; Caqueret, Matic, Tolisso; Nuamah, Mikautadze, Benrahma 

Read more:

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OM cruise away to Brest

 

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