Rennes building up historic Europa League night with 10.000 fans taking over Milan

Stade Rennais fans are making their presence felt in their thousands in Milan today with Julien Stéphan’s Ligue 1 side taking over AC Milan for the first leg of the Europa League playoffs. The game, held at a near-packed San Siro, promises to be a cracker between two teams sharing the same red and black shades – Rennes are nicknamed Les Rouge et Noir whilst AC Milan are the famous Rossoneri.

Rennes are currently flying under the guidance of Stéphan, whose tactical nous and remarkable man-management has turned the Brittany club’s fortunes around after a disastrous start of the campaign under the tenure of Bruno Genesio. Stade Rennais have won their last five league games and have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France in winning their three rounds this year. Meanwhile, AC Milan will be a formidable opponent considering Stefano Pioli has labelled the Europa League as the Serie A club’s main objective, with arch-rivals Inter now the overwhelming favorites for the league title.

Despite the sizable gap between Rennes and Milan in terms of European pedigree, Les Rouge et Noir will try their best to keep the tie alive before the return leg in a vibrant Roazhon Park next Thursday. Tonight, Rennes will rely on the massive support of nearly 10.000 away fans inside Lombardy’s most famous ground.

“This indicates the special relationship between its supporters and the club, which is becoming stronger and stronger”, Stéphan added in his press conference transcribed by L’Equipe. “It is the reflection of an increasingly important love, of a belief, of a new generation of supporters who want to live these moments to the fullest. Our performance must be as massive as our support.”

Video footage of Stade Rennais fans casually taking over the Piazza del Duomo, and indulging in a game of palets, have circulated online. Besides, Stade Rennais – who are owned by luxury mogul billionaire François Pinault – have cooked up a brilliant marketing stunt by buying the full page of this Thursday’s Gazzetta dello Sport – Italy’s main sports daily – with a message that reads “SRFC, from the first to the last minute, give everything.”

GFFN | Bastien Cheval