Rodez. Believe in your star

After a successful season, Rodez is entering the playoffs tonight against Red Star, hoping to continue their journey to unprecedented heights. Doesn’t this remind you of something? A team from Rodez steadily improving throughout the second part of the season, rubbing shoulders with the top teams in Ligue 2 to climb up the table. Doesn’t this remind you of something? Bewildering performances from the red and gold team, pushing the limits of what’s possible and toppling their rivals to secure a top 5 spot. Doesn’t this remind you of something? Their first playoff against a team from the Paris region, with the opportunity, if they win, to play a decisive match at the prestigious Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, facing Saint-Etienne shortly after thwarting their direct promotion hopes. It certainly rings a bell. The enchanting spring of Raf stirs memories of a recent past, as their end to the 2026 season looks like a mirror image of 2024 when they defeated Paris FC in a memorable penalty shootout (2-2, 3-2 pen) before falling to the Verts (0-2).

Rodez might not win the award for the most original script, but there is much more to strive for. By securing their spot in the playoffs with a victory over Annecy on Saturday (2-1), Quentin Braat, Mathis Magnin, and the team are only three steps away from Ligue 1. They have also followed in the footsteps of their predecessors two years ago, who accomplished the best season in the club’s history by finishing 4th in Ligue 2 and making it to the second playoff round. As they head to Red Star for the first decisive match tonight and brace for a week that could propel the club to even greater heights, the question arises: Can today’s Rodez players outdo the likes of Killian Corredor, Lorenzo Rajot, and Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao from two years ago? Whatever the answer may be, posing this question already indicates a success for a team built from scratch at the beginning of the season after a major summer overhaul, mainly focusing on players seeking a fresh start or preparing to face Ligue 2.

“We have matured,” says Didier Santini, Rodez’s coach. They have truly left their mark on the championship. After a slow start, they impressed everyone by going on a 20-game unbeaten streak. This streak propelled them to the top, allowing them to savor the thrill of knockout matches, high-altitude evenings with irreversible consequences. “We’ve already had away wins in crucial matches, such as against Reims and Annecy. I think we have matured,” added Didier Santini.

Other factors also contribute to the optimism surrounding the team, including the confidence of their “twenty-invincibles,” the collective strength displayed, the efficiency of forwards Taïryk Arconte and Ibrahima Baldé (with 14 and 12 goals respectively), and the absence of major injuries as they approach this crucial period. These elements could all help shine the spotlight on Rodez.