Claiming a European spot is difficult in any league. Rennes hopes to qualify for the Champions League in the 2022-23 season. Rennes must be ambitious throughout this season. Rennes played highly entertaining football last season to earn a Europa League spot, scoring 82 times in 38 Ligue 1 games. Bruno Genesio was manager of the year. Only champion Paris Saint-Germain was more prolific, with 90 goals. However, missing out on the lucrative Champions League by three points left the French club with a bittersweet taste in their mouth. Rennes now hopes to make this season memorable with some memorable football moments. A clever squad-building strategy has been the secret behind that success. There is no real star on the team. Rennes is built around an underrated French core. Rennes has played 15 matches and scored 31 goals in them. Additionally, they have conceded 14 goals in the 15 matches played. We now look at some of the stats that show why Rennes have a good chance of playing in Europe next season.
The above viz shows the percentile rank of Rennes compared to other teams in Ligue 1. They are ranked in the top 85.7 percentile for high press and the top 90.4 percentile for goals per 90. This is an indicator of their aggressive intent and willingness to strike this season. Rennes’ percentile rank for possession in Ligue 1 is in the 70s. They deploy high-intensity pressing and are therefore ranked in the top 81 percentile for passes per defensive action. Another observation is their xGA per 90, which is well over the other teams in Ligue 1 at a decent 90.5.
Rennes in Attack
The French side has scored 31 goals with an average of just over two goals per match. Rennes and PSG have the highest percentage of positional attack efficiency in Ligue 1 at 13%. The above viz shows the shot map of the team in the current season. It can be observed that Rennes have scored most of their goals from just around the 6-yard box. Rennes averages 14 shots per match. The xG is at a high of 28.54 mainly because they have taken most of their shots from dangerous areas inside the penalty box. Additionally, they also have many shots on target from in and around the box.
Rennes have had a fairly impressive season and have looked like a dangerous side while attacking. They are ranked in the top 90 percentile for goals per 90 minutes and score an average of 2.0 goals per game. They are also leading the stats for shots on target per 90, just one point behind PSG at 7.0 shots on target per 90.
Rennes is at the top of the stat chart for the efficiency of positional attacks with an impressive 13%. Along with Rennes, other clubs like PSG and Lens are also at 13% each. All three clubs, PSG, Lens, and Rennes, are first, second, and third, respectively, in the Ligue 1 standings at present. This is an indicator of the standard of positional attacks being performed by Rennes, keeping in mind the types of players the Parisian team has in its squad, on the other hand.
Rennes defensive wonders
Rennes have had a successful defensive display so far in the 2022–23 Ligue 1 season. They have not given away any fouls inside their box. They deploy high-intensity pressing and are in the top 81 percentile for passes per defensive action. Rennes have an xGA of 90.5.
Rennes is ranked first in the world in terms of ariel duels won. The French side has won 54% of their defensive duels and 56% of their aerial duels. The above viz shows the benchmarking of the team for aerial duels amongst other teams in the league. We can see that Rennes are ranked second and have shown aerial dominance on the pitch.
Rennes’ defenders have put their bodies on the line and blocked 43 shots. These blocks have been crucial and were made inside their own penalty box. With a 2.33 xG, Rennes have also managed to keep seven clean sheets out of fifteen matches played. Rennes have a pressing efficiency of 50% and have also managed to make maximum recoveries in the opponent’s half. In the 2022-2023 Ligue 1 season, Rennes made 49 interceptions per 90 minutes.
Rennes have conceded 11 goals in their last ten games. Rennes must fight to stay in the battle for a spot in Europe. The attack has played a crucial part in their success. Rennes finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season. But this year, they have managed to pull off results in their favour, as they have 31 points from 15 matches and are third midway through the season. The French side will be hoping they will continue to find results once the season restarts after the World Cup.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
