Stade Rennais FC begin their European campaign on Monday 16 September with a trip to Austria to face SK Sturm Graz (7pm UTC). The Breton side approach this UEFA Europa League League Stage match with confidence from a solid league win.
Their last outing was a 1-0 home victory over Olympique de Marseille on 11 September, sealed by Adrien Thomasson's 52nd-minute strike. This result helps steady a patchy recent run of form. Over the last five matches, the record stands at one win, one draw and three defeats, a LWLDL sequence highlighting inconsistency.
A settled side in good spirits
Against Marseille, Julien Stéphan fielded a back four with Brice Samba in goal, shielded by Pawel Frankowski, Charlie Cresswell, Arthur Theate and Mahamadou Nagida. The midfield trio consisted of Mattéo Guendouzi, Valentin Rongier and Adrien Thomasson, while the attack featured Ludovic Blas, Élie Lepaul and Ibrahim Soumaré. Lepaul, with three goals in four appearances this season, remains the in-form attacking threat for Stade Rennais FC. The team can rely on this settled core for the Austrian trip.
The opposition context
Sturm Graz, meanwhile, will have some notable absences in their squad. Midfielder Emran Soglo is out until around 9 October with a muscle injury. Striker Seedy Jatta, suffering from a shoulder problem, is expected to return around 28 September. These absences could shape the Austrian side's tactical approach.
For Stade Rennais, the objective is to start this European group phase strongly. A positive result at the Merkur-Arena would provide key momentum ahead of the international break. The full squad details and player statistics are available on our squad page.
Kick-off in Graz is at 7pm UTC on Monday.
