Stade Rennais claimed a 2‑1 victory over OFI Crete in the Europa League, but the result left fans and pundits perplexed. Daniel Riolo, RMC consultant, expressed his frustration with the performance of Franck Haïse's team, stressing that the Bretons deserve a much better show than that offered this evening.
The match, which took place on Thursday evening, was marked by a difficult start for Rennes. OFI opened the scoring in the 10th minute thanks to Taxiarchis Fountas, forcing the Rouge et Noir to catch up. It was only in the 76th minute that Mahamadou Nagida equalized, before Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal finished in the 90th minute to seal the victory. Despite these moments of responsiveness, the general performance was considered insufficient, with a lack of fluidity and realism which worries observers.
In RMC's After Foot, Riolo congratulated the enthusiasm of the Rennes public, but criticized the play on the pitch. “The people in the stadium deserve much better than what Rennes is offering,” he declared, stressing that the passion of the supporters did not compensate for the quality of the game. This remark highlights the gap between the club’s ambitions and the reality on the ground.
Franck Haïse, for his part, recognized that his team still needs to improve, in particular to destabilize opposing defenses. Currently third in Ligue 1, Rennes has a squad capable of aiming for a European place and a promising run in the Europa League. However, to achieve these goals, the team must offer more consistent and controlled football.
At the end of this snatched victory, the club must transform its capacity to react into lasting collective control. The supporters, present in large numbers, are now expecting a show that matches their passion. The next challenge for Haïse will be to match the club's ambitions with the level of play displayed on the pitch, in order to consolidate Rennes' position in national and European competitions.