« The SRFC will need to be at their best to bring home points from this away game. »

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Habib Beye

The squad
“Nordan (Mukiele) will be out for the Metz game, and Seko (Fofana) as well — they are still in recovery. Kader (Meïté) wasn’t in training today; we need to run more advanced tests, as his adductors prevent him from accelerating. Seko? We’re preparing him so that he’s ready for the Paris match. Estéban? He resumed calmly on Tuesday, with no particular pain during training.”

Maintaining focus
“I’m quite at ease regarding the group’s concentration. The players aren’t showing any euphoria about what we’re experiencing. As I’ve said, our league campaign will look more like matches such as the one at Paris FC, and we’ll need to be consistent and focused. These are tough matches, especially after such a big home win. Together with the staff, we’re committed to maintaining this positive momentum — of points and victories. Metz are in good form: they recently had three consecutive wins, they score goals, they can play good football, so we’ll have to be at 100%.”

A tough league
“The team is evolving according to what it experiences, and it has matured. I always come back to this idea: Ligue 1 is very difficult, and it will be tough at Metz. The results against Strasbourg and Monaco cannot become the norm — what is typical in Ligue 1 are the gritty matches, where you must be consistent and know how to suffer. We want to take as many points as possible, especially by building a dynamic of away wins.”

Physical condition(s)
“Mahdi, for example — we must not forget he was suspended for two matches after the Lorient game, and then came the international break. The Nantes match comes one month after Lorient, and when you’re not accumulating minutes, you lose athletic sharpness. Same with Frankie. These players are now at the expected physical level, which is important for the team. We must maintain mental freshness until the French Cup match before the break.
We have different profiles, and the team is gaining confidence from that. For me, technical performance is linked to the physical side of the match: as long as you perform well technically, you’re physically fine. In modern football, you need to connect both.”

Red and Black momentum
“I was certain that this team would raise its level and gain consistency over time. It’s really important to have confidence in what we’re doing. The momentum is good — but it’s still only three matches, and we want to keep it going. Let’s not talk about a spectacular rebound, because we can’t let ourselves be impressed by what we do; we must stay calm and clear-headed. Metz needs to be part of this momentum, and it will be a difficult match.”

Przemysław Frankowski
“I remember that after the Monaco game, I talked about the personality of the defenders and of Brice. Frankie is quite an attack-minded player, and I haven’t forgotten that he’s an important part of our build-up play: Abdelhamid’s first goal against Monaco is the perfect example. Frankie can use every surface of his foot, both left and right — he has a very high technical level in his interactions with others. He’s a player who doesn’t talk much, but he has real legitimacy in the dressing room as an international and a hard worker. He also produces key passes and helps us create uncertainty in the game. I want to highlight his fantastic complementarity with Mahdi. I’m very happy with what he brings us.”

The key role of captain Valentin Rongier
“It’s related to how he’s been stepping up in training. He has found his bearings as a captain, even though he was set back by his injury. Over the past two or three weeks, he has been freed up and able to raise his intensity while adapting to a new way of working. I can see he feels good, he’s putting in very good performances, and he’s emerging as a leader. His leadership has settled naturally within the team.”

The opponent
“Metz have dynamic attacking profiles with players who are strong in one-on-ones and capable of playing quickly or in transition. They’re also a team that can build up play — Gauthier Hein, for example, feeds the wingers extremely well. I’m also thinking of the Senegalese player Cheikh Sabaly; they have profiles who can make big differences individually. Metz can score goals, and I don’t know if Habib Diallo will be back (editor’s note: the striker has since been ruled out). In their victories, Metz have also shown strong defensive abilities — we’ve seen that against Lens, Nantes, and Nice. We will need the best version of SRFC to bring home points from this trip.”
 

Lilian Brassier

The team’s progress
“We’re very happy with the recent results. It’s the result of hard work — we never gave up in training and we’ve had good performances. We’re very satisfied to see that this work is paying off and bringing positive results.”

His start to the season
“It’s been a mixed start to the season for me. I got injured at the end of preseason and had to work my way back into shape. There’s competition, I accepted it until I got back on the pitch, and I’m happy to be playing. We will need everyone.”

His performance against Monaco
“For now, it might be a reference match for me — I hope there will be even better ones (smiles).”

Revelations Jérémy and Abdelhamid
“It’s a good thing to have competition, and that’s normal at Stade Rennais. They’re young players with huge potential. I’m very happy for them that they’re able to show what they can do, and I hope it continues.”

Abdelhamid’s powerful runs forward
“I’m not jealous (laughs). Everyone has their own profile — I can do it too. It worked well for him, he scored, it helped the team, it’s great. I discovered him during preseason. Abdelhamid is a young player who learns every day, and you have to acknowledge his strong potential. I try to support them, whether it’s him or Jérémy.”

The league standings
“Everyone looks at them, but we’re mostly focused on the performances and the results.”

Valentin Rongier
“I knew him at Marseille. He’s a captain at heart, always there for everyone, central to the team’s life, and he will always deliver on the pitch.”