Beye at centre of debate as Samba left out amid rising Rennes tension | OneFootball

Habib Beye has left out international goalkeeper and vice-captain Brice Samba for Rennes’s trip to Lens on Saturday at 17:00, a dramatic call that underlines a fraught mood around matchday 21.

According to L'Équipe, the coach even considered separating from the club on Wednesday, the day after the 3-0 Cup defeat at Marseille. The Samba decision mirrors October, when Seko Fofana and Ludovic Blas were omitted for the 2-2 at Toulouse over training commitment.

Rennes have taken one point against Le Havre, 1-1 on 18 January, then lost 2-0 to Lorient on 24 January, before heavy setbacks at Monaco, 0-4 last Saturday, and at Marseille, 0-3 on Tuesday. The second at the Vélodrome followed a long restart from Samba towards Breel Embolo, and Beye has since stressed a preference for short build-up that he will not change.

It is a fresh show of authority against a senior figure who made key saves during November and December to steady Beye’s position. The dressing room does not always follow him, and his messaging can puzzle.

Rennes travel in troubled order, with Mathys Silistrie set for his Ligue 1 debut in goal. Beye was close to the exit late in October, then revived the side and won 2-0 at Lille in January with a 3-5-2 and youth, including Mousa Al-Tamari at left wing-back. Since Lille, form has dipped again amid late-window departures such as Kader Meïté and Seko Fofana, plus the sale of Jérémy Jacquet, and Beye has accepted inconsistency may persist while targeting a rebound against Lens and PSG.

Source: L'Équipe