This weekend brings Brentford's first pre-season game outside of Jersey Road, as the first team looks to build on tests on the training ground against AFC Wimbledon and Watford. One win and one loss, but most importantly, ideas being tested and minutes in the legs.
Jaidon Anthony was on target in his unofficial Brentford debut in a 3-2 win over AFC Wimbledon, which also saw important minutes for returnees Josh Dasilva and Vitaly Janelt. A 4x 30-minute training ground test against Watford unfortunately concluded in a loss, but vital minutes were granted to Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry, who were also challenged with an injury-hit season last campaign. Attention now turns to a more high-profile friendly against the impressive Rennes on Saturday.
Rennes' 25/26 Season
Last season's impressive 6th place finish for the French outfit indicates that this will be exactly the test that Keith Andrews and the players are looking for, ahead of Brentford's 6th consecutive season in the Premier League.
Despite a shaky start to the season, things really started to come together for Rennes after the appointment of current manager Franck Haise in February. With previous experience at the club as an academy manager between 2006 and 2012, Haise was deemed a good fit to engineer a strong end to the season and make a late charge for Champions League football. Haise led the team to 8 wins out of their last 12 Ligue 1 games, guiding them to a place in this season's Europa League, finishing just a point off Champions League qualification.
26-year-old Frenchman Esteban Lepaul played all 34 league games for Rennes last season, netting an impressive 21 goals and finishing as the top scorer in Ligue 1 last season. A talisman that will give Brentford's defensive line a tough test in preparation for the new season.
Rennes Aspirations This Season
With the club looking set to keep hold of Lepaul after a new contract was agreed this summer, alongside a strong but agonising league performance last season, Rennes are in a good spot for Saturday's pre-season friendly, and for the impending 26/27 campaign.
Having qualified just once for the Champions League in their history in the chaotic 2020 season, Rennes will once again have their eyes set on achieving qualification among Europe's elite for the second time in their history. Top 4 is the only option for Rennes this season, who carry huge expectations on their shoulders after an impressive end to the campaign last time out.
The significant gap left by the impressive Jérémy Jacquet after his £55m+ move to Liverpool has been filled by the talented English defender Charlie Cresswell after impressing at fellow Ligue 1 side Toulouse. Charlie joins for a total package of over €25m, with big boots to fill for the talented ex-Leeds United centre back.
Former Sunderland fans' favourite Eliezer Mayenda also enters the fold at Rennes for around €22m, bringing versatility in attacking positions on the wing or through the middle, and adding extra competition for big-hitter Lepaul up top.
With major signings being made and key goalscorers being tied down to long-term contracts, there's no reason why Rennes can't challenge towards the top of the table this season, and also give Brentford a tough test on Saturday in their fluid 4-3-3 formation.
A Game To Look Forward To
As Rennes are certainly no pushover compared to previous pre-season outings for Brentford in recent years, there is a highly likely chance we get to see big players such as Igor Thiago, Mikkel Damsgaard, and Michael Kayode in action.
More excitingly, it is an occasion for the new signings to lay down their foundations for the new season. No doubt minutes will be given to Jaidon Anthony off the back of his goal against AFC Wimbledon, alongside fellow new signings Jannik Schuster, Callum Wilson, and the highly regarded Mamadou Sangaré.
Sangaré will be the talk of the build-up to this weekend's fixture, as he faces familiar French opposition from his time at Lens. Signed for £41m+ this summer in a record-breaking deal for Brentford, his first game for the club in front of the travelling faithful certainly whets the appetite.
