Stade Rennais – Olympique de Marseille: Thomasson Maintains Marseille’s Misery (1-0)

Olympique de Marseille fell to their third defeat in a row as Stade Rennais shook off a slumberish start. Rennes would finish the night provisionally on top of the table and dreaming of what could come. Marseille would be left thinking about a week in which they’ll face Beşiktaş and then Paris Saint-Germain. 

Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Hartland.

Stade Rennais entered the season as one of the leading contenders for the status of Ligue 1’s best of the rest. Over the summer, the club kept hold of last season’s top scorer, Esteban Lepaul, and added Adrien Thomasson, the player with the joint most assists. In defence, Charlie Cresswell arrived from Toulouse FC to add to this feeling that Rennes have a squad packed with some of the best proven talent in the league outside of Paris Saint-Germain. 

The quiet before the storm. That’s what it feels like at Olympique de Marseille. Two defeats in a row would usually spark agonised consternation in the febrile city, but there was a certain resignation as Paris FC won 3-2 in front of the Stade Vélodrome. In a city that runs hot, quiet cannot last for long, and a third defeat in a row would surely spark something; something to suggest that the club will not embrace their situation without some fight. 

Franck Haise went with a 4-1-4-1 formation. Brice Samba started in goal, with a backline consisting of Mahamadou Nagida, Anthony Rouault, Cresswell, and Przemysław Frankowski. In midfield, Valentin Rongier was the single pivot, with . . .