Close to the 400-match mark (379), Baptiste Santamaria will continue to share his experience with the Rennes dressing room. After a successful period with Angers SCO between 2016 and 2020 - 4 seasons, 149 games - the Tours-trained player is off to try his hand in the Bundesliga, a challenge successfully taken up with SC Freiburg (33 games) where the southern German club finished in a very respectable 10th place.
He returned to France in 2021 with new ambitions: to join an ambitious Ligue 1 club and experience the excitement of European matches, which he found at Stade Rennais. A natural leader, a ball-winner, a tactical barker and a good header, Baptiste Santamaria quickly demonstrated all his qualities in the Rouge et Noir shirt. With 97 games under his belt at SRFC, he has established himself as a key member of the team, both on the pitch and in the dressing room. Stade Rennais F.C. is delighted to be able to count on the midfielder.
Baptiste Santamaria :
« I'm happy to be continuing my adventure at the club. This extension is a mark of confidence, it shows that I've done my job well. Rennes is very important in my career, my wife is from here, my children too, all that is important to me and I feel really good at Stade Rennais. My aim is to keep on doing what I'm doing, and to do my utmost to help the team achieve its goals. »
Olivier Cloarec, Executive Chair and Managing Director :
« We are delighted to extend Baptiste's contract until 2026. He is an experienced player who is used to the challenges of Ligue 1 and knows Stade Rennais F.C. inside out. He has returned to form and has just put in a string of quality performances. Baptiste also plays a key role in the dressing room and in the life of the team. We're counting on him to rise to the challenges that await us this season. »
Florian Maurice, Technical Director :
« Baptiste's extension is part of a logic of continuity, there was a shared desire. For us, he's an important player in the squad, both on and off the pitch. Baptiste's a complete player, he covers a lot of ground with his ability to pick up a lot of balls. When we use him, he also brings us his qualities in long and mid-range play and in turning the ball over. He's a hard-working fighter who gives up nothing for the team. In the dressing room, he brings his knowledge of Ligue 1 and his ability to bring people together, and he also instils confidence in those around him, particularly the younger players.»
