The history of Stade Rennais F.C.

1911 to 1920

• 15 September 1912: SRUC leave their home ground of La Mabilais and move to the Parc des Sports de la Route de Lorient.
• 4 June 1916: SRUC beat CST Lyon 7-1 to win the Coupe des Alliés, a national knockout competition held during the first world war.
• 6 October 1918: SRUC take part in the very first Coupe de France, beating La Tour d’Auvergne 6-0 in their first match in the competition.

1921 to 1930

• 7 May 1922: A first appearance in the final of the Coupe de France ends in a 2-0 defeat to Red Star in Vincennes.  

1931 to 1940

• Spring 1932: The club turns professional, a move driven through by its president, Isidore Odorico.
• 11 September 1932: Stade Rennais UC play their opening match in their first season in France’s professional league, known at the time as the Division Nationale. The opponents are Metz, with Walter Kaiser scoring the club’s first goal in the competition.
• 5 May 1935: Stade Rennais UC make their second appearance in the Coupe de France final but lose 3-0 to Olympique de Marseille at the Stade de Colombes.
• 16 May 1937: SRUC are relegated to the Second Division for the first time.
• 28 May 1939: SRUC are promoted to the First Division.

1941 to 1950

• 26 August 1945: The French First Division makes its return following the end of the second world war.
• 23 January 1949: New stands are opened at the Parc des Sports de la Route de Lorient.
• 29 May 1949: Coached by Franz Pleyer, Stade Rennais UC finish fourth in the league.  

1951 to 1960

• 7 June 1953: Stade Rennais UC are relegated to the Second Division.
• 27 May 1956: Coached by Henri Guérin and under the presidency of Louis Girard, SRUC win the Second Division title and earn promotion to the First Division.
• 17 June 1957: SRUC are relegated to the Second Division.
• 1 June 1958: SRUC are promoted to the First Division.    
   

1961 to 1970

• 23 May 1965: Making their third Coupe de France final appearance, a Stade Rennais UC side coached by Jean Prouff and still under Girard’s presidency draw 2-2 with US Sedan-Torcy after extra time.
• 27 May 1965: In the replay at the Parc des Princes four days later, Stade Rennais UC win 3-1 to lift the Coupe de France for the first time in their history. Daniel Rodighiéro scores twice for SRUC (47, 86), either side of a Marcel Loncle goal (77).
• 30 May 1965: SRUC finish fourth in the First Division.
• 17 August 1965: SRUC lose 4-2 to FC Nantes in Lorient in the Trophée des Champions, the annual match contested by the previous season’s French league champions and Coupe de France winners.
• 22 September 1965: The club plays its first match in a European club competition, losing 2-0 away to Dukla Prague in the first round of the Cup Winners’ Cup.

1971 to 1980

• 20 June 1971: With Jean Rohou now in place as president and Prouff still in charge as coach, Stade Rennais UC make their fourth appearance in the Coupe de France final and win the trophy for second time, beating Olympique Lyonnais 1-0 thanks to André Guy’s 63rd-minute penalty.
• 15 September 1971: Playing in the Cup Winners’ Cup for a second time, SRUC score their first European goal, courtesy of Philippe Redon (77’), in a 1-1 draw with Glasgow Rangers at the Stade de la Route de Lorient.
• 20 August 1971: SRUC share the Challenge des Champions trophy following a 2-2 draw with Olympique de Marseille in Brest. Serge Lenoir (27’) and Zdenko Kobescak (53’) are the scorers for Rennes.
• 23 May 1972: Stade Rennais Université Club change their name to Stade Rennais Football Club.
• 10 June 1973: Stade Rennais F.C. win their first Coupe Gambardella, beating AS Brestoise 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Quimper, with Jean-Pierre Perrier (58’) scoring the Rennes club’s goal.
• 12 January 1975: The new Mordelles Stand is opened at the Parc des Sports de la Route de Lorient, as Stade Rennais F.C. play out a goalless draw with Olympique Lyonnais in Division 1.
• 3 June 1975: Stade Rennais F.C. are relegated to Division 2.
• 29 May 1976: Stade Rennais F.C. are promoted to Division 1.
• 8 June 1977: Stade Rennais F.C. are relegated to Division 2.
• 18 June 1978: Stade Rennais F.C. open their football academy.

1981 to 1990

• 3 June 1983: Coached by Jean Vincent and with Gérard Dimier as president, Stade Rennais F.C. win the Division 2 title and with it promotion to Division 1. After beating Toulon 1-0 away in the first leg of the championship play-off, Les Rouge et Noir secure a 2-2 draw in the second leg to lift the title, with Farès Bousdira (27’) and Mario Relmy (67’) on target for them.
• 2 May 1984: Stade Rennais F.C. are relegated to Division 2.
• 5 June 1985: Stade Rennais F.C. are promoted to Division 1 after beating Rouen in a penalty shootout in the promotion play-off, with Alain Doaré scoring the winning kick.
• 7 March 1987: The new Lorient Stand is opened at the Parc des Sports de la Route de Lorient as Stade Rennais F.C. host Girondins de Bordeaux in Division 1, a match the visitors win 1-0.
• 5 June 1987: Stade Rennais F.C. are relegated to Division 2.

1991 to 2000

• 5 May 1990: Stade Rennais F.C. are promoted to Division 1 after winning 2-0 at Lorient on the last day of the Division 2 season. The men on target at the Stade du Moustoir are François Denis (72’) and Jean-Christophe Cano (90’).
• 15 May 1990: Stade Rennais F.C. lose 2-0 on aggregate to Nancy in the Division 2 championship play-off.
• 12 May 1992: Stade Rennais F.C. are relegated to Division 2 after losing 4-1 on aggregate to RC Strasbourg in the relegation play-off.
• 25 May 1994: Stade Rennais F.C. are promoted to Division 1.
• 22 June 1996: Stade Rennais F.C. return to the European scene as they make their Intertoto Cup debut.
• 15 May 1998: François Pinault becomes a majority shareholder in Stade Rennais F.C.
• 24 August 1999: On their second appearance in the competition, Stade Rennais lose 4-2 on aggregate to Juventus in one of the three Intertoto Cup finals

21st century >> 2001 to 2010

• 15 July 2001: Stade Rennais F.C. kick off their third Intertoto Cup campaign with a 5-0 home win over Czech club FC Synot.
• 1 September 2001: Stade Rennais F.C. celebrate their centenary with a series of events, including a notable 2-1 defeat of Senegal’s national team, with Severino Lucas (69’, 78’) scoring both the home side’s goals.
• 31 May 2003: Stade Rennais F.C. win the Coupe Gambardella for a second time, beating RC Strasbourg 4-1 at the Stade de France thanks to goals from Yoann Gourcuff (15’), Stéphane Nguéma (36’, 40’) and Jimmy Briand (42’).
• 16 April 2005: Newly refurbished, the Parc des Sports de la Route de Lorient welcomes AS Saint-Étienne for a Ligue 1 match that ends in a 2-2 draw.
• 28 May 2005: Coached by Laszlo Bölöni, Stade Rennais F.C. finish fourth in Ligue 1 and qualify for Europe through the league for the first time (with the exception of their Intertoto Cup appearances).
• 20 August 2005: A record crowd of 29,490 turns up at the Stade de la Route de Lorient to see the home side beat Olympique de Marseille 3-2 in Ligue 1.
• 15 September 2005: Stade Rennais F.C. begin their first ever UEFA Cup campaign with a 3-1 defeat of Spain’s CA Osasuna. The honour of scoring the club’s first goal in the competition falls to Alexander Frei (27’).
• 20 October 2005: Stade Rennais F.C. begin their maiden UEFA Cup group-phase campaign with a 2-0 defeat at home to Stuttgart. 
• 28 May 2007: With Pierre Dréossi in the dugout, Stade Rennais F.C. finish fourth in Ligue 1.
• 20 September 2007: Stade Rennais F.C. begin their second UEFA Cup campaign with a 3-1 win away to PFK Lokomotiv Sofia.
• 27 May 2008: Stade Rennais F.C. win the Coupe Gambardella for a third time, beating FC Girondins de Bordeaux 3-0 at the Stade de France, with Hicham M’Laab (21’), Yann M’Vila (30’) and Damien Le Tallec (76’) all getting on the scoresheet.
• 26 July 2008: Stade Rennais F.C. win one of the three Intertoto Cup finals, prevailing 10-9 on penalties away to SC Tavriya Simferopol.
• 9 May 2009: Appearing in their fifth Coupe de France final, Stade Rennais F.C. lose 2-1 to En Avant Guingamp at the Stade de France, with Carlos Bocanegra (69’) scoring the club’s only goal.

2011 to 2020

• 28 July 2011: Stade Rennais F.C. begin their debut campaign in the Europa League (the competition that replaced the UEFA Cup) with a 5-2 win away to FC Rustavi of Georgia.
• 20 April 2013: Making their only Coupe de la Ligue final appearance to date, Stade Rennais F.C. lose 1-0 to AS Saint-Étienne at the Stade de France.
• 5 May 2014: Stade Rennais F.C. step out at the Stade de France for Coupe de France final number six, but it ends in a 2-0 defeat to En Avant Guingamp.
• 11 June 2015: Now fitted out with black and red seats, the Stade de la Route de Lorient is renamed Roazhon Park.
• 20 September 2018: Stade Rennais F.C.’s second Europa League adventure kicks off with a 2-1 win at home to FK Jablonec, the club’s first ever group-phase win in a UEFA competition.
• 14 February 2019: Having reached the Round of 32 of the Europa League for the first time, Stade Rennais F.C. play out a 3-3 draw at home to Real Betis.
• 7 March 2019: Kicking on into the last 16 of the Europa League for the first time, Stade Rennais F.C. beat Arsenal 3-1 at home.
• 27 April 2019: Returning to the Stade de France, and with Olivier Létang and Jacques Delanoë in place as joint club presidents and Julien Stéphan as coach, Stade Rennais F.C. make their seventh Coupe de France final appearance, against Paris Saint-Germain. Presnel Kimpembe (39’ og) and Edson Mexer (66’) score for the Rennes club in a 2-2 draw after extra time before a 6-5 penalty shootout win secures them the trophy for a third time.
• 3 August 2019: Contesting the Trophée des Champions (the new name given to the Challenge des Champions) for a third time, Stade Rennais F.C. lose 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in Shenzhen. Adrien Hunou (13’) scores their only goal.
• 19 September 2019: Stade Rennais F.C.’s third Europa League campaign begins with a 1-1 draw at home to Glasgow Celtic.
• 8 March 2020: In a season cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic, a Stade Rennais F.C. side coached by Julien Stéphan finishes third in Ligue 1, their highest placing ever.
• 20 October 2020: Stade Rennais F.C. host FK Krasnodar as they make their UEFA Champions League debut. The match ends in a 1-1 draw.
• 19 August 2021: The first UEFA Europa Conference League campaign in Stade Rennais F.C.’s history begins with a 2-0 home defeat of Rosenborg.
• 10 March 2022: Stade Rennais F.C. make it to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League, where they lose 2-0 at Leicester City en route to a 3-2 aggregate defeat.
• 3 June 2023: 2-1 winners at Brest, Stade Rennais F.C. qualify for Europe for the sixth year running.