STADE RENNAIS v AC MILAN: OPPONENT REVIEW

After the setback in the league against Monza, AC Milan are eager to bounce back immediately to continue chasing their European dream, buoyed by a three-goal advantage secured through an excellent performance in the first leg. However, it's crucial not to underestimate the trip to face Stade Rennais. Despite the defeat at the San Siro, the Breton side is enjoying a fine run of form, coming off six consecutive wins in Ligue 1: the second-longest winning streak in the club's history in the French top flight, after the eight recorded between February and April 2006.

Furthermore, since December 20, the team coached by Julien Stéphan is the only one to have won 100% of their matches in one of the top five European leagues (six out of six), averaging more than two goals per game (2.3). To progress to the Europa League Round of 16, it's crucial to replicate a solid and clinical performance like the one from a week ago, while also trying to reverse the negative trend that has seen the Rossoneri emerge victorious only once in four away trips to France in this competition (against Strasbourg in October 1995, overall 1 win, 2 draws, and 1 loss).

MATCH KEYS: DEFENSIVE SOLIDITY AND CLOSING PASSING LANES
Trailing by three goals in the overall scoreline, Stade Rennais will try to immediately find a way to score to reopen the qualification conversation, aware of the offensive potential that has seen them become the third-highest scoring team in Ligue 1 2023/24 after the first 22 matchdays, with 34 goals scored (second only to Paris Saint-Germain's 53 and Monaco's 41). In addition to the number of goals, the strength of the Stade Rennais attack is also confirmed by the quality of their chances, as only PSG (46.5) boasts a higher Expected Goals value than Stade Rennais (35.0) in the current French top flight.

For AC Milan, it will be crucial to maintain a high level of defensive focus, aiming for a third clean sheet in the last four matches, after keeping clean sheets in all four of the previous 14 games across all competitions. In particular, the attention the Rossoneri will pay to closing down their opponents' passing lanes will be crucial. Besides being third in Ligue 1 for sequences of at least 10 passes leading to a shot or touch in the opposing penalty area (55, behind Lille's 63 and Paris Saint-Germain's 110), Rennes has produced 41 key passes that have broken through opposition lines in the current French top flight, again only trailing leaders PSG.

GOALS FROM THE YOUNG KALIMUENDO AND THE IN-FORM TERRIER
The attacking duo that Julien Stéphan will rely on to try to overturn the first leg result is likely to be Arnaud Kalimuendo and Martin Terrier, already with 17 goals between them in all competitions this season. Kalimuendo is the top scorer for Stade Rennais this season, the only one in double figures for goals in 2023/24 thanks to five goals in Ligue 1, four in the French Cup, and one in the Europa League. In particular, among players in the current French top flight, the 2002-born forward is the second youngest to have scored at least 10 goals in all competitions, alongside Gift Orban (also born in 2002 - exactly 10 goals each).

Terrier, on the other hand, is undoubtedly the most in-form player among the rouges et noirs: he has been involved in six of the last nine Stade Rennais goals, scoring five goals (including a brace against Clermont in the last league match) and providing an assist since January 26. During this period, the 1997-born forward has been the player involved in the most goals in the French top flight: six, precisely, in just 319 minutes on the pitch (an active involvement every 53 minutes).

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