PROFILE | Rennes turn to Benjamin Bourigeaud to weather the storm

Like hundreds of thousands of French people, Benjamin Bourigeaud decided to let off some steam and spend New Year’s Eve down Paris’ world-famous Avenue des Champs-Elysées, maybe counting down the last seconds of what has been a year of two halves for the Calais-born Stade Rennais midfielder.

For several years now, Benjamin Bourigeaud has been one of the most consistent players in Ligue 1, delivering on a weekly basis gutsy performances that translated into his never-say-die attitude and commitment to the Brittany club. Bourigeaud’s status as Rennes’ standard-setter and most important player earned him a contract extension in 2022, tying him to Stade Rennais until 2026.

The RC Lens youth product is a rare breed of football player, the kind that improves his teammates by just being there on the pitch. When Bourigeaud is playing well, Rennes play well, it is as simple as that. Moreover, Bourigeaud’s versatility – he can play as a right-winger, a right-sided midfielder or a central midfielder – never really hinders his input at Rennes.

Rennes would have probably not finished fourth last year in the league without Bourigeaud pulling the strings in midfield and proving decisive on more than one occasion. The 29-year-old registered eight goal contributions in Rennes’ final six games of the campaign, including a final-day brace at Brest: a vicious direct free-kick in the bottom corner and a coolly-taken penalty in Marco Bizot’s top corner. Rennes leapfrogged Lille to go fourth that day and booked their ticket to the Europa League group stage. Bourigeaud ended the 2022-2023 season with eight goals and thirteen assists in all competitions: a remarkable turnout for a central midfielder by trade.

With veteran right-back Hamari Traoré