Eliminated by AC Milan in the Europa League play-off on Thursday, Rennes coach Julien Stephan nevertheless estimated that the return victory against the Italians (3-2) was “surely the most beautiful victory in the European history of the Stadium Rennes. The players had a great match today. They played the match that needed to be played by taking risks, by being open, by involving a lot of people in the offensive area,” complimented the coach.
To believe in the feat, after the three goals difference conceded in the first leg (3-0), he had aligned a very offensive 4-3-3 with a single recuperator and full-backs placed very high in the offensive phase. “Necessarily, it was going to generate some spaces, transitions for the opponent, but it was a risk completely assumed before the match (…) It was the price to pay for playing this kind of match, scoring goals” , he justified. And goals, Rennes scored three, by its attacking midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud, but he unfortunately conceded two, synonymous with elimination.
“Afterwards, there is also talent on the front and a little success on the second goal on their part, but they provoked it, so congratulations to them for their qualification because over the whole match, it is deserved,” he commented. However, he praised the “exceptional mental qualities on the part of the group” which, although united in the score, never stopped attacking to end up at least with a victory for honor. “It’s really a great pride to have won against Milan, it’s a very prestigious victory for Stade Rennais (…), it’s surely the most beautiful victory in the European history of Stade Rennais,” he judged.
But while his team will challenge Paris SG on Sunday in the championship, then play a Coupe de France quarter-final on Thursday against Le Puy (N2), in a week, he especially wants this match to be “an additional step in the construction of this group (…) which will have to be used for future deadlines in the weeks to come. Above all, it is a strong marker of what the players are capable of in terms of performance and it will lead us to further raise our level of demands on them,” he added.
