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Stade Rennes pulled off a heist two seasons ago when they secured a place in the Champions League. The club finished third in the 2019-20 season behind Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille in what was season curtailed by COVID-19.
Although the third slot forces the French team to qualify for the group stages via the qualifying rounds, Rennes were fortunate enough to avoid that path. That was courtesy of Chelsea winning the Europa League that season depriving Arsenal of a Champions League slot.
The season after that, the underdogs from Brittany started off on a great run and looked on course for another European finish, albeit in the Europa League. However, a dent in their form in the closing rounds of Ligue 1 last season saw them miss out on a place in the Europa League by two points, with Marseille taking the spot.
This season, however, started off on a sour note for Bruno Genesio's men as they drew their opening two fixtures. Their form stuttered until September as they lost to Marseille and Reims. With the club struggling in the bottom half of the table, they managed to pull off a coup against Paris Saint-Germain.
Two late first-half goals from Gaetan Laborde and Flavian Tait sealed an astonishing 2-0 win over Messi and Co. That kickstarted a better period for the club, which saw them upset Olympique Lyon and Saint-Etienne.
Laborde and Terrier lead Rennes' resurgence
The center-forward duo of Laborde and Martin Terrier have accounted for fifty percent of Rennes' goals this season across all competitions. The Reds and Blacks have scored the second-most goals so far this season, only five behind leaders PSG. This underlines how prolific his pairing has been in the division.
Laborde's arrival from Montpellier seemed to be the final piece in the puzzle for the Brittany outfit as his physicality and target precision have given them a much-needed point of reference higher up the pitch. More importantly, it has also allowed Terrier to play as a false nine just behind him.
Rennes pick up form at a crucial time
The Reds and Blacks have picked up the pace at what appears to be the right time in Ligue 1. Their recent form is second only to PSG among France's top six.
With Marseille showing signs of complacency and Nice becoming more of their old selves, it is time for Genesio's men to take a firm hold of a top-three finish.
