Sébastien Tambouret, the stand-in who toppled Luis Enrique’s PSG 3-1 | OneFootball

Sébastien Tambouret, Rennes’ N3 coach, stepped up to lead a 3-1 win over Luis Enrique’s European champions PSG, joining Sébastien Pocognoli and Roberto De Zerbi as the only Ligue 1 victors over them this season. He usually works with the club’s pro 2 group rather than the reserve.

According to L'Équipe, players pushed him to take the acclaim of the Roazhon Celtic Kop after the final whistle. Handed the preparation on Monday with Pierre-Alexandre Lelièvre and Maxime Le Marchand after Habib Beye was stood down, Rennes arrived on four straight defeats and drifting from Europe.

He had filled in last season and lost, and said clarity and collective commitment were his takeaways. He changed to a back four, partly due to Aït-Boudlal and Jacquet’s absences, and also because Paris can manipulate a back five more easily. The 4-2-3-1 aimed to block the centre, mobilise a tight back line and exploit space behind.

That plan delivered the opener from Mousa Al-Tamari, outstanding before the break. The substitutes, notably Ludovic Blas, Breel Embolo and Djaoui Cissé, were incisive and decisive. Rennes did not just defend, stitching moves to escape pressure and counter.

Tambouret felt being good would not suffice, several elements had to align to fell PSG. A change of coach sharpened responsibility, enjoyment underpinned the week, and there was edge in both boxes, with Brice Samba superb at 1-2 after being dropped at Lens by Beye the previous week.

Embolo praised the staff’s positivity and dialogue, saying they wanted a compact, courageous side. He scored his eighth of the season and Lepaul his 10th for Rennes, so the machine may be running again. Lepaul felt something had been created and said it must now be reproduced, with Franck Haise to take the reins after Tambouret’s one-off.

Source: L'Équipe