Stade Rennais FC face Juventus on Thursday (18:45 CEST) at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, a key Matchday 3 fixture in the Europa League league phase. The French side, with four points so far, are seeking a strong away performance to boost their European campaign.

This is a historic challenge for the Breton club, who have never won in four previous European trips to Italy. The last meeting was the 1999 Intertoto Cup final, lost 4-2 on aggregate. Juventus, meanwhile, are confident with two wins from two and a run of four consecutive home victories in Europe.

The Ligue 1 context is tough for Julien Stéphan's men. They are on a run of five straight league defeats, most recently a 4-3 loss at Paris FC on Saturday. Top scorer this season Esteban Lepaul, with seven goals, netted a hat-trick of penalties in that chaotic match. But the team is struggling for consistency, as shown by their recent form.

The attacking challenge

Italian coach Luciano Spalletti spoke of "the necessity of improving efficiency in front of goal". Juventus have scored twelve goals in their last four European home games. Facing this attack, Stade Rennais FC' defence will need to be far more resilient than it has been lately.

For Stade Rennais FC, Randal Kolo Muani will be a key asset. The French international forward has been involved in five goals in his last five appearances in the Champions League and Europa League.

Thursday's match is the first in a key run of games before the break. The unique Europa League format, with 36 clubs playing eight matches, still offers many opportunities. The top eight qualify directly for the round of 16. Stade Rennais have plenty to play for in Turin. Kick-off is at 18:45 on Thursday 22 October.

More detail at juventus.com

Julien Stéphan has confirmed a tactical change for Thursday's match. The Stade Rennais manager indicated his team would likely adopt a three-defender system against Juventus. This announcement comes as the team has just suffered a fifth consecutive league defeat, on Saturday at Paris FC (4-3). The match is scheduled for Thursday 22 October at 18:45.