Julien Stéphan became first-team coach at Stade Rennais F.C. at the beginning of December 2018 following the departure of Sabri Lamouchi. In just six months, the former Rennes trainer (for six seasons) led the club to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League before helping SRFC win their third French Cup. It was also under his guidance that Stade Rennais F.C. achieved their highest ever Ligue 1 finish of 3rd the following season.
On his return to Rennes, Julien Stéphan will be joined by Denis Zanko, who has held various positions of responsibility at Laval, Le Mans, Toulouse and Bordeaux, as assistant coach. Rudy Cuni, in charge of video analysis, will be returning to Stade Rennais F.C., where he worked three seasons ago. Another assistant coach returning to the Red and Black ranks is Bouziane Benaraïbi, who was assistant coach between 2016 and 2017.
Julien Stéphan's reaction:
"I'd like to thank the shareholders and the whole club for the new confidence they've shown in me, and in particular for entrusting the job to a French coach. It's a return to my roots that I welcome with undisguised joy. I'd like to pay tribute to the work of Bruno Genesio, who is a coach of the highest quality. My past experiences have strengthened me, and the period of inactivity I've been through has encouraged introspection. I'm back with a lot of freshness and determination to help the team build a new dynamic and hope for a more positive post-season."
