Stade Rennais is in turmoil after its defeat against Olympique de Marseille (1-2) last Saturday, and eyes are starting to turn towards Jorge Sampaoli. Arriving in the middle of the season with the ambition of relaunching the Breton club, the Argentine coach has already distinguished himself with an unexpected negative statistic, which raises serious questions about the impact of his management.
A damning statistic for Sampaoli
In just six games at the head of Stade Rennais, Sampaoli has already recorded four defeats. An alarming record which contrasts violently with his time in Marseille, where he had to wait until his 19th match to reach this total of losses. These figures mark a worrying start and remind us of the glaring limits of the Rennes collective, which is struggling to escape the red zone.
At the end of this 17th day of Ligue 1, Rennes has only 17 points and finds itself one point behind play-off Saint-Étienne. The current shipwreck of the club, illustrated by this chaotic departure of Sampaoli, leaves doubt about the relevance of the management’s choice to rely on a technician renowned for his intensity, but perhaps unsuitable for the Rennes situation.
Sampaoli, a start to his mandate which causes debate
Rennes in crisis of confidence
The defeat against Marseille once again highlighted Rennes’ difficulties. Defensively, the team concedes too easily, and offensively, the lack of impact is glaring.
“Obviously you have to be concerned about this place,” admitted Sampaoli after the meeting, adding that “The situation was already difficult before our arrival.”
However, the contrast with his Marseille career remains striking. In Rennes, Sampaoli seems powerless against a team which sorely lacks cohesion, talent and character. The coach mentions a need for time and adjustments, but the urgency in the rankings could rush decisions.
Can we hope for a start?
Rennes’ recent history shows that the club has already experienced unexpected ups and downs, but the current picture is gloomy. If recruits like Seko Fofana or Brice Samba could breathe new life into the team, the Rennais must first mobilize collectively.
The Argentinian technician plays big in the coming weeks. With such a humiliating statistic at this stage of his mandate, he will have to prove that he is the man for the job to avoid plunging Rennes even deeper into crisis.
