Stade Rennais suffered a crushing defeat against AJ Auxerre (4-0) on the 10th day of Ligue 1, highlighting the serious shortcomings of the Breton team. Apathetic and without creativity, Julien Stéphan's men never managed to win against Auxerre, making a series of defensive errors and a lack of reaction to opposing offensives. A setback which was coldly criticized by the Algerian Amine Gouiri.
At the heart of this debacle, Amine Gouiri did not mince his words after the final whistle. Visibly frustrated and angry, he shared his discontent on the microphone of
DAZNdenouncing a lack of combativeness and coherence within the group. “It's a shame, it's shameful, we take 4-0 at Auxerre and there is no reaction. What we produce is not worthy of a team that wants to play at the top of the table. We play like a team that is fighting for relegation, we cannot achieve our objectives by playing like that, it’s impossible”declared the Algerian international, exasperated by his team's performance.
This media outing by Gouiri reveals his growing annoyance with the situation in Rennes. For several weeks, the player seems to disagree with the tactical choices and performances of his teammates.
The Algerian international, who had been promised an offensive leadership role, is struggling to find his place in a team which fails to capitalize on his qualities. His playing time has also been impacted by competition at his position, limiting his ability to fully express himself on the pitch, which suggests an imminent departure from the club.
On Julien Stéphan’s side, the pressure is mounting. Criticisms are pouring out not only on the lack of offensive efficiency, but also on the defense, weakened and exposed against Auxerre. With this new defeat, Rennes slips to the bottom of the table and compromises its ambitions for the season.
The next matches promise to be crucial for Stade Rennais. Gouiri's exit resonates as a call for reaction for the entire team. For the Algerian striker, this public frustration could as well be a trigger to redouble his efforts on the field, as well as a sign of a rift in the making with the club if the situation does not improve.
DZfoot
