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In Rennes, Florian Maurice on the front line for a crucial end of the season

2021-05-10T21:27:56.563Z


At the time of launching Sunday (9 p.m.) against Paris SG a final sprint badly started for the European objective, the sports director Florian Maurice is on the front line in Rennes.


He shaped the team, he chose the coach ... Beaten in Bordeaux last week, the Rennais missed the opportunity to grab the precious 5th place, the minimum goal posted at the start of the season. Stuck in 7th row, two points behind Marseille and Lens, they no longer have a hand. But Maurice believes in it, as he assured the press this week: “It will be three Champions League matches, or three finals, we can call them what we want. It will be three high-level matches and I am convinced that we can do it. " “The guys are good, they are motivated, they are on top of things, they want to finish well (...). We are able to compete against this type of team and win, ”he insisted. “Stade Rennes have done this in the past. Even if the results dowere not at the end this season, we have shown that we had the ability to resist teams of the level of PSG, ”he added, citing honorable performances in the Champions League against Sevilla or Chelsea.

Mixed mercato

Even if the two stars of the midfield, Steven Nzonzi and Eduardo Camavinga, will be suspended, "we will do without them, and the players who will be present on Sunday will show that they also have the qualities to perform and win this type of match" . Starting with the recruits of the last summer transfer window, the players that Maurice went to look for on his arrival in spring 2020. Choices that he remains alone to defend with the resignation of coach Julien Stéphan and the health problems of the president Nicolas Holveck. Admittedly, there were a few hiccups. Daniele Rugani, injured shortly after his arrival, has already returned to Italy. Dalbert is only the shadow of what he hoped for and the grain of madness of Raphinha, whom he let go to England in October, was sorely missed in the Rennes attack this winter.Goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, who came at great expense to replace Edouard Mendy who left for Chelsea, still gives off a few cold sweats and Serhou Guirassy sometimes lacks efficiency. But Martin Terrier, practically arrived from Lyon in the suitcases of Mauritius, is finally proving formidable in a new positioning at the forefront, with five goals and three assists over the last seven matches.

And the young Jérémy Doku, the surprise bet of Maurice, has just scored his first two goals. Its explosiveness sickens the opposing defenses. Against Bordeaux, he made 12 of the 15 dribbles he attempted, more than any other Ligue 1 player this season. For Maurice, it is still too early to take stock of this group and its season. But not yet too late to support everyone as well as possible. “+ Flo + is always with us. He is in training, in the matches in the locker room, ”testifies defender Nayef Aguerd. "He is someone who has a lot of experience, he is important for the team, with his advice, and also the serenity and the confidence he brings to the players." And to prepare for next season, he can count on a longtime accomplice. Bruno Genesio assures him,the two men renewed a working relationship "almost identical" to the one they had in Lyon, even if Maurice was only responsible for recruiting Gones. “In Lyon, we talked a lot about the rookies but I also consulted him regularly on the matches we had played to get his opinion. And I regularly asked him to have talks with the players, ”says the coach.

Read also

  •  Ligue 1 calendar

Source: lefigaro

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