Arnaud Pouille
An overall review of the season
“We’re on track to meet our target. There’s a bit of frustration, particularly regarding the final matchday when we could have finished a bit higher. But we’re making progress. The Europa League is the European competition we were hoping for. We would have preferred to have it on its own, without having to wait for the result of the Coupe de France a week later. That’s the way it is and, as they say, at the end of a season you get what you deserve.”
What was missing to perform better
“We need to look back at all the work carried out by the entire sporting management team. We started with a brand-new team. It’s been a rollercoaster of a season, but one that has the merit of ending with the objective achieved. We lacked shared experience, and we should have managed certain matches better, particularly at the start of each half. We’re working to improve that. This season stands in stark contrast to last year’s twelfth-place finish, and offers plenty of hope for the future.”
Outlook for the 2026/2027 season
“We must keep moving forward and strengthen the club. SRFC, the Pinault family and the staff have always been ambitious. We were coming off the back of two seasons that fell short of expectations, so we had to get Stade Rennais back on track with its ambitions. We will continue along this path.”
The club is once again living up to the high standards and ambitions of its supporters. Together, we must continue to be ambitious.
Room for manoeuvre in the transfer window
“We have two advantages this summer: we’ve qualified for the Europa League and we’ve already ticked a lot of boxes in terms of revenue with the sale of Jérémy Jacquet to Liverpool. We’re on track with financial fair play, but we’ll continue our efforts by being smarter in what we do during the transfer window. ”
The feeling of having won back the fans
“I had that feeling at the end of the match against Paris FC. The club has got back in step with the expectations and ambition of its supporters. Together, we must continue to be ambitious.”
The arrival of Nicolas de Tavernost
“In terms of governance, the project needs to be stable, which it is. Nicolas has just arrived; he’ll be introducing himself to all staff members within the next fortnight. He’s someone I’ve known for several years and who has a wealth of experience. I think he will embody the club’s desire to shift its position, which had been somewhat more low-key within the governing bodies. Nicolas will give us a bit more clout at national level, within the governing bodies, and his experience will undoubtedly be beneficial for the club.”
Loïc Désiré
QWhat sort of squad do you have for this new season?
“Our squad wasn’t too small this year. We know that when you’re only playing in two competitions, you end up using 14 or 15 players, no more. We haven’t had many injuries, which is good. With the Europa League, we hope to have two or three extra players to bolster the squad and give the manager more options between the midweek and weekend matches. In my view, with 21 players of a good standard, we’ll be able to have a consistent season and compete on several fronts. »
Target positions
“Our priority is to sign a midfielder, a centre-back and a versatile forward, of a different type to what we already have – that is, someone capable of playing both centrally and on the wing.”
The role of young players
“The Academy is a key part of the club’s project; we must continue to give it its place. Not just to please people, but to give playing time to those who are up to standard. I’m thinking in particular of Henrick Do Marcolino, Nordan Mukiele and a few others. We must be careful not to bring them in too quickly either. Some were brought on this season and found it a bit difficult to cope with all the media attention surrounding their first few minutes in Ligue 1.”
Recruiting in France and across Europe
“The recruitment unit has been revamped. We’re obviously looking in France, but across Europe as well. We’re keeping our options open. Stade Rennais now has the capacity to support foreign players thanks to a team comprising two Team Managers and a Player Care officer. We’re better at welcoming players and their families. But, of course, we’re still keeping an eye out for good players in France, as they help us save time when it comes to integration. We’re open to all profiles.”
We want to show much more character on the pitch, as we’ve sometimes been caught on the back foot.
Improving to make the top five
“In the second half of the season, we’ve had much longer spells of possession. We need to do that more often and for even longer periods to hold our own against teams we’ve struggled against this year. We’ve made good progress, but there’s still work to be done. We must aim to be in the top five every year. Our sixth-place finish today is just a stepping stone.”
More character in the team
“We’ve lacked that, and it’s something we need to work on. We want much more character on the pitch, because we’ve sometimes been caught up in the flow of the game. We already have players who show that: Brice (Samba), Valentin (Rongier), Breel (Embolo)… But we still need a few more for it to work as a team and for these players to carry the whole squad with them.”
Personal satisfaction
“The season got off to a flying start following a rather unusual summer of 2025, when we had to build a smaller squad. There’s work to be done, but I’m very happy with every aspect of the club today.”
