Franck Haise’s Rennes escaped Graz with a point rather than the European statement they wanted, held 0-0 by Sturm Graz after surviving a tense final spell in Austria.
SEO title: Franck Haise and Rennes held in Europa League opener at Graz
SEO description: Rennes began their Europa League campaign with a goalless draw at Sturm Graz, with Brice Samba making key late saves for Franck Haise’s side.
The move
Rennes began their Europa League league-phase campaign with a difficult draw at Liebenau, where around 13,000 home supporters drove Sturm forward throughout a noisy evening.
Haise had warned before kick-off that every European tie brings its own complications, and Rennes found that out quickly. The Ligue 1 co-leaders were disjointed despite making only limited changes from the 1-0 win over Marseille five days earlier.
Bryan Reynolds made his first start at right-back because Przemyslaw Frankowski was troubled by an adductor problem. Mousa Al-Tamari returned to the left side of the attack after Issa Soumaré’s recent displays in that role, while captain Valentin Rongier was left among the substitutes for the first time this season.
Adrien Thomasson dropped deeper to cover the holding-midfield role and performed solidly. He thought he had put Rennes ahead in the eighth minute with a turn and shot in the box, but VAR ruled out the effort for handball.
The visitors did create enough early openings to take control. Estéban Lepaul, making his European debut, repeatedly found himself in scoring positions but could not convert. He missed the target in the 13th, 46th, 54th and 56th minutes, was denied by goalkeeper Daniil Khoudiakov in the 30th and 61st, and had another chance stopped by an offside flag in first-half added time.
Key figures in Graz
- Franck Haise — Rennes head coach, now without a win in 17 consecutive Europa League matches.
- Brice Samba — Rennes goalkeeper whose late interventions preserved the draw.
- Estéban Lepaul — Rennes forward playing his first European match.
- Adrien Thomasson — midfielder whose early goal was overturned following a VAR handball review.
- Jacob Hödl — Sturm Graz attacker who caused Rennes persistent problems between the lines.
Rennes lost their rhythm as the game wore on. Sebastian Szymanski and Mahdi Camara tried to carry the ball forward from midfield, but rushed choices, technical errors and a lack of balance gave Sturm increasing encouragement.
The Austrians had a goal disallowed in the 34th minute when Paul-Friedrich Koller headed in from a static Rennes defensive line. VAR again intervened, this time confirming a narrow offside.
Sturm were far closer to winning after the interval. Samba pushed away Hödl’s 57th-minute strike, then got down at his near post to keep out Simon Seidl in the 84th. Hödl fired over three minutes later, leaving Rennes to endure five uneasy minutes of stoppage time.
For Haise, who has repeatedly urged his players to remain humble, it was a reminder that Rennes will need greater sharpness if they are to make a prolonged run in Europe. Reaching the spring stages would represent new territory for the club.
The French season around it
Rennes arrived in Austria in strong domestic form, sharing the Ligue 1 lead after the home victory over Marseille. Yet their European start came with a different pressure and a noticeably less fluent collective performance.
Rongier’s absence did not alone explain the result, particularly with Thomasson adapting well behind Szymanski and Camara. But Rennes lacked their usual control higher up the pitch, and their missed opportunities allowed Sturm to grow into the contest.
The Breton side now turn quickly back to Ligue 1, travelling to Lyon on Saturday for a 20:45 kick-off. Haise’s task is to restore the attacking precision that deserted Rennes in Graz while ensuring a point earned under late pressure becomes a useful beginning rather than an early warning ignored.
