Quentin Merlin played for the Stade Rennais FC reserve team in their National 2 match on Sunday 18 October. The 24-year-old left-back, dropped from the first-team squad, featured in a comprehensive 6-1 win over ASPTT Caen at the Stade Eduardo Camavinga. This appearance comes as the first team, on a run of five consecutive defeats, has a target of playing 90 minutes of high intensity football, a standard Merlin must now rediscover with the reserves.

Manager Franck Haise had omitted him from the matchday squads for the last two Ligue 1 games against AJ Auxerre and Paris FC. The club is on a run of five consecutive defeats, including a 4-3 loss in Paris this weekend, ahead of a key trip to Juventus on Wednesday. Mahamadou Nagida, who scored in the Europa League win over OFI Crete, is now the established starter in his position. The team's recent form is disastrous, with just one point taken from the last fifteen available in the league, a context that precipitated Merlin's dropping.

A commanding reserve win

The reserve side, fifth in their group with eight points, dominated the fixture after the break. Trailing 2-0 at halftime, they turned the game around in the second period. Gonçalo Calisto De Oliveira scored a brace, as did Junior Aké. Mouhammad Valmy, Alexander Legendre and Alassane Niang added the other goals. “We knew we weren't competing in the same category individually and collectively,” admitted ASPTT Caen coach Laurent Dufour.

Merlin, under contract until June 2029, played alongside youngsters born between 2006 and 2009, including Chibuike Ugochukwu, the younger brother of Lesley. His current status is a stark contrast to being a starter at the beginning of the season against Le Mans, Angers and Lyon. The arrival of Franck Haise and increased competition have reshuffled the pecking order. “There is competition, that's part of their job,” the manager said. “What matters is that he continues to work hard enough so that he can return to the group at some point.”

Stade Rennais FC, in a difficult spell, must now focus on their next Champions League fixture away to Juventus on Wednesday 22 October. This key match in Turin represents the next opportunity to stop the losing streak. The upcoming fixture list will be key to turning things around, with a Ligue 1 home game against AS Monaco following the Juventus match the next Sunday.

More detail at Foot Mercato