Stade Rennais v West Ham United
Pre-season match, Roazhon Park, Saturday 29 July 2023, 6pm CEST (5pm BST)
West Ham United’s pe-season preparations take another step forward as the Irons get ready to face Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais on Saturday.
The Hammers’ penultimate pre-season match of the summer campaign will see David Moyes and his squad travel to Brittany and face Bruno Génésio’s team, who finished fourth in the French top flight last season.
This week saw manager Moyes have almost his full squad of senior players to train, after most of those on international duty returned to Rush Green, and Saturday’s clash will give the boss a chance to work with close to a full ensemble of first-team players.
The Irons have played four pre-season matches so far this summer, starting the schedule with a 4-1 win at National League side Boreham Wood before a pair of wins during the ‘Unmissable Football’ tour in Australia, beating A-League side Perth Glory 6-2 and fellow Premier League Londoners Tottenham Hotspur 3-2. The most recent outing was a 2-2 draw at Dagenham & Redbridge in a first pre-season run out for the returning internationals.
Rennes are unbeaten in their two pre-season matches played to date, drawing 1-1 with Ligue 2 newcomers Concarneau, before defeating fourth-tier Union Sportive Saint-Malo 2-1.
Tickets…
Supporters are advised that tickets are no longer available for Saturday's pre-season match at Roazhon Park.
Travel…
If you have a ticket, West Ham United fans can reach Rennes from London by taking the Eurostar from London to Paris Gare du Nord, and then catching a train on the TGV network between Paris Montparnasse and Rennes. These take just under 90 minutes and run approximately every half-an-hour.
Should you wish to fly, the Rennes–Saint-Jacques airport is less than 20 minutes away from the city centre. An Easyjet flight leaves London Gatwick at 1.40pm on Friday.
If you fancy driving, take the ferry or Eurotunnel to northern France. Drive west along the A16 and A28 before continuing onto the A13 westbound. Take the A84 past Caen, which will feed you all the way into Rennes. It is approximately 325 milles' drive from Calais to Rennes.
Roazhon Park is located on the west of the city, on the northern bank of the Vilaine river. While it is possible to walk the reasonably short distance from the city centre, there are also bus and metro services available.
The STAR public transport network, which was awarded NF Service certification in 2004, consists of one metro line (15 stations) and 149 bus routes that serve the 43 municipalities that form the Rennes Metropolitan District.
For fans driving, while parking is not available at Roazhon Park there are two sizeable car parks nearby. These are located on the south-west side of the stadium, just over the river.
Supporter Info…
Fans are advised to gather at the Mail François-Mitterrand, which is a ten-minute walk from the stadium.
Visiting fans can enter the stadium through Gate 14, on the west side of the venue in the Ville de Rennes stand.
How To Follow…
Saturday’s match will be available to watch on the West Ham United YouTube channel, with the live action commencing roughly five minutes before kick-off.
Coverage will also be available through our live match centre, bringing you all the action from Roazhon Park. Live coverage will begin 90 minutes before kick-off.
Highlights and full reaction will also be viewable at whufc.com across Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
Team News…
Manager David Moyes will have an almost full squad of senior players available to choose from when the Irons travel to north-western France.
Most of those involved in international fixtures throughout June returned to pre-season training last week and joined back up with the rest of the first-team squad on Monday, after those Hammers returned from the Australia.
Only Ben Johnson and Michail Antonio remain absent, with the duo given time to rest and recuperate after their respective efforts for England U21s and Jamaica into early July.
Pre-season also continues to provide the first team coaching staff the opportunity to cast their eyes over the developing talent in the Academy of Football. The likes of Divin Mubama, Freddie Potts, Levi Laing and Kamarai Swyer have impressed on their outings for the first team in recent weeks.
Opposition…
It has been a period of renaissance for Stade Rennais recently.
Consistent top levels from the Brittany-based outfit saw the side achieve their highest ever Ligue 1 season in the curtailed 2019/20 campaign, which was followed by a sixth-place finish and then consecutive fourths in the French top tier.
Add in a Coupe de France trophy win in the 2018/19 season and regular European football, and it has been five years of success at Roazhon Park.
Founded in 1901, Stade Rennais has gone through a range of transformations in the Club’s 122-year history, setting on the current name in 1972. With two Ligue 2 titles in the team’s trophy cabinet, as well as three Coupe de France cups and a Trophée des Champions, Les Rouge et Noirs are versed in winning competitions.
Like the Hammers, Stade Rennais will compete in the UEFA Europa League in the 2023/24 campaign, a sixth consecutive year of European football for the side.
Under the guidance of Bruno Génésio, the former French midfielder who took over as manager in 2021, Stade Rennais will be hoping for even more continued success in the near future.
Previous Meetings…
West Ham United and Stade Rennais have never met before, either in competitive or pre-season action, and the Hammers are making their first visit to Roazhon Park this weekend.
Opened in 1912, the stadium was rebuilt in 2001 and has played host to both men’s and women’s national team matches. Most recently, it served as a venue for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, hosting Sweden’s 2-1 quarter-final win over Germany.
While Saturday will be a first game against Stade Rennes for the Irons, we have made several trips to play French opponents throughout the Club’s history.
Two such matches occurred in 2022. Manager Moyes and his squad travelled to face RC Lens in a pre-season match in July 2022, which ended in a 0-0 draw, while the Claret and Blue Army will never forget a famous 3-0 win over Lyon at the Groupama Stadium in April 2022; one which sent West Ham into the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
