SC Albi vs Rennes: A crucial match for the leader
On Saturday, March 28 at 6:30 pm, SC Albi will travel to Rennes for the 24th round of the Nationale league. Albi would do well to win and secure the leadership position at the end of the regular phase.
“Humility” and “seriousness.” These are the words with which players Theo Mercadier and Simon Soenen approach the match in Brittany this Saturday. With three rounds left in the championship, SCA, leading the Nationale by two points ahead of Nice, travels to Rennes, currently in 10th place and already secured to stay due to the withdrawals of Tarbes and Niort.
Although this match seems to have less at stake than the upcoming clash against Nice – the first and second place teams next week at the Stadium – it still offers an opportunity for Albi to secure one of the top two spots, guaranteeing a home semifinal. Meanwhile, Nice (2nd) and Narbonne (3rd) will face off in a crucial match that could determine who hosts their semifinal. The SCA knows they have what it takes to seek victory in Brittany, but manager Kevin Boulogne warns that winning at the Commandant-Bougouin stadium is far from guaranteed.
“It’s clearly a team to take seriously. We will need to be very focused,” stated Boulogne, highlighting the qualities of a “dangerous” team with “strong values” that will not give in, especially playing at home with no pressure. The former midfield player probably hasn’t forgotten the reception of Rennes at the Stadium on November 14th, during the 11th round of the championship.
Rennes had secured a bonus point at the end of the match (24-18), leaving Albi wanting more. Thirteen rounds later, a more mature and experienced Albi squad will do everything possible to avoid falling into Rennes’ trap, according to winger Simon Soenen.
“We need a benchmark match”
This season, Sporting has performed admirably, leading the championship with three rounds to go, a position few could have predicted last September. Nonetheless, some victories have seemed incomplete, like the one against Narbonne three weeks ago.
While the coaches do not want to rely on “champion’s luck,” they are still searching for the team’s “benchmark match” just before the final stages. This Saturday’s match could be the perfect moment to reassure themselves against an opponent within reach. It could be the final rehearsal before the start of the finals, which for many begin with the game against Nice on April 10.
Following that, in a very fragmented schedule, SCA will have to travel to Perigueux to close out the regular phase on April 25. This is where the staff’s philosophy of “taking each game as it comes” truly makes sense.
