Rennes made fewer changes than OL in Europa League before Ligue 1 clash | OneFootball

Rennes were held in Austria by Sturm Graz on Wednesday and head to Décines on Saturday having managed minutes differently to OL.

Before a three-week league pause from next week, OL host Rennes on Saturday, both unbeaten with three wins and one draw. According to Le Progres, Paulo Fonseca made sweeping changes 72 hours earlier for the Europa League opener in Belgium.

He said the same players could not play every match in a single week given limited recovery before the big game. He benched eight of the 11 starters from the draw at Paris FC, gave Niakhaté one half at Lotto Park, and used Loïs Openda and Tyler Morton for only a little more than an hour.

Rennes went the other way. With 24 hours more recovery after Friday’s 1-0 win over Marseille, Franck Haise kept seven starters for the trip to Sturm Graz, naming goalkeeper Samba, centre-backs Rouault and Cresswell, midfielders Thomasson and Camara, plus winger Blas and striker Lepaul.

They dominated without finding the breakthrough, and both teams had a first-half goal ruled out by VAR. Attention now turns to Saturday in Décines.

Source: Le Progres

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