It's the shock of this 13th day of Ligue 1. This Sunday (8:45 pm), Stade Rennais receives Olympique Lyonnais.
The two teams have had similar courses since the start of the season.
After a complicated start, they were able to raise the bar to take the path leading to their ambitions: to finish in a qualifying place for a European competition, if possible, the Champions League.
After twelve matches played, they follow each other in the standings - the Bretons are 5th, the Gones 6th - and have exactly the same number of points (19).
On the occasion of this beautiful Ligue 1 poster,
Le Figaro
had fun comparing their two squads, post by post.
To discover
Ligue 1 fixtures and results
League 1 standings
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Goalkeepers: Lyon advantage
He is back. After several delicate exercises, Anthony Lopes is (almost) back to his best. The Lyon goalkeeper has had a difficult offseason. Its leaders - trainer included - were looking for a new bulwark, more comfortable in the foot, and more apt at first sight to integrate into the system imposed by Peter Bosz. André Onana was very close to the Rhône, but in the end the operation did not take place. This lack of confidence on the part of his technician could have disturbed him. Absolutely not. The Portuguese have made a very good start to the season and have been decisive on several occasions. Small (big?) Downside, his exclusion in the derby against AS Saint-Etienne. For his part, Alfred Gomis struggled to enter his season, with disappointing performances, especially against Angers and theOlympic Marseille. But the Senegalese has been able to reverse the trend and get back to the place. He is no stranger to the positive spiral of Stade Rennais. Despite everything, considering the whole of the start of the season, the balance tilts in favor of the Rhone team.
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Central defenses: equality
Difficult to separate the two hinges.
Of course, on paper, the Lyon pair appear more attractive than the Rennes pair.
The arrival of Jérôme Boateng has a lot to do with it.
Not yet at his best, the German has already brought all his serenity, his science of the game and his
leadership
to a team then feverish and often in the grip of doubt at the start of the season.
The duet he composes with Jason Denayer is pretty good, but not impressive.
In the Rouge et Noir, the association of the brave and rough Nayef Aguerd and the talented young Warmed Omari - Loïc Badé, bought at a high price and author of a difficult start to the exercise, was relegated to the substitutes' bench - is one of the reasons for the good defensive position in Rennes at the time.
If it does not have the experience of the central defense of the Rhône, it has nevertheless shown real guarantees of safety by conceding only three small goals in six matches.
Experience
versus
solidity: equality.
Ball in the center.
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The full-backs: Rennes advantage
On the sides of the defense, the point is awarded to Stade Rennais. Arrived in Brittany this summer from Nîmes Olympique, Birger Meling quickly acclimated to his new team. His commitment, his activity, his beautiful tumbles on the left side have already conquered the supporters of the Rouge et Noir. In the Rhône, without being transcendent, the first steps of the European champion Emerson are also satisfactory. A player of his ilk, however, is able to distinguish himself more on the offensive level. In reality, the side duel is played more on the right side. French international and Lyon captain, Léo Dubois has been making his matches since the start of the 2021-2022 fiscal year; but nothing more. Where Hamari Traoré, Malian international and who wears the armband in Rennes, is more famous.Strong in duels, he is sharper offensively than his Rhone counterpart as illustrated by the three assists he has already delivered in Ligue 1 (one for Dubois).
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Defensive midfielders: Lyon advantage
In the midfield, Olympique Lyonnais takes the advantage. The Maxence Caqueret-Bruno Guimarães pair appears superior to those tested by Bruno Génésio and mixing Baptiste Santamaria, Jonas Martin, Flavien Tait and even Lesley Ugochukwu. The activity of the two Lyonnais - and this even if the Frenchman was for a time in difficulty - is very important. They swallow the kilometers, and put the impact and intensity to recover the balloons. They are also effective at promoting their team's projections through breakthroughs and passing; an area in which the Brazilian shines particularly. In Rennes, Baptiste Santamaria, bought in Friborg for € 14 million, does not yet have the expected return. Affected and suspended, Jonas Martin will be absent on Sunday. At last,Flavien Tait is proving invaluable this season alongside a more defensive profile, but the ex-Angevin is still more comfortable when he evolves a notch above, or on the left side.
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Attacking midfielders and wingers: Lyon advantage
Once again, it's Lyon who wins the point. The reason is explained in one name and five syllables: Lucas Paqueta. The Brazilian has been sensational since the start of the season. Able to turn a meeting on his own, he is one - if not the - of the best players in the championship at the start of the season. Peter Bosz can also count on a Houssem Aouar with newfound sensations and on a sharp and decisive Karl Toko-Ekambi. The Dutch technician is also probably no stranger to the good performance of his players. Xherdan Shaqiri is certainly not yet at the expected level but his experience and his ability to evolve in small areas are very much appreciated. In addition, Lyon has Rayan Cherki on the bench who can ignite a meeting. Difficult for Stade Rennais to compete.However, the Rouge et Noir are not left out with Benjamin Bourigeaud - one of the most underestimated players in the championship - or with the twirling Kamaldeen Sulemana, already considered one of the best wingers in L1, or with Lovro Majer, little in sight at the moment, but whose talent is undeniable. Not so bad for a team that has to do without its best creator in the person of Jérémy Doku, always on the sidelines.Not so bad for a team that has to do without its best creator in the person of Jérémy Doku, always on the sidelines.Not so bad for a team that has to do without its best creator in the person of Jérémy Doku, always on the sidelines.
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The center-forward: Rennes advantage
Moussa Dembélé injured, Lyon sometimes plays with a false number nine.
In these circumstances, comparing the scorers of the two teams is a complex thing.
But the very good level displayed by Gaëtan Laborde since his arrival tilts the scales in favor of Stade Rennais in this position.
The former Montpellier, second top scorer in Ligue 1 behind Jonathan David with seven goals, transformed the Breton team through its efficiency, activity and determination.
In front, he can count on the support of the irregular but nevertheless skilful Martin Terrier.
With them - without counting Serhou Guirassy out of the bench - Bruno Génésio has a superb pair of attackers.
While Peter Bosz, in the absence of his flagship center-forward, tinkers.
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The general opinion of the editorial staff:
It is Olympique Lyonnais who emerges victorious from this comparison.
After a post-by-post analysis, the workforce led by Peter Bosz appears to be more talented than that led by Bruno Génésio.
But football is not just about adding individuals.
The collective is essential.
And in this regard, Stade Rennais has plenty to compete with its evening opponent.
