Season 2000/2001

After the elation of 1999, and the disappointment of 2000, the Board of Rennes put its money where its mouth was to show its ambition during the summer transfer window. After selling Nonda and Sommeil for 27.6 Million Euros, the club spent no less than 53.2 Million Euros on Cesar, Delaye, Echouafni, Fabiano, Lucas and Turdo. But the team only managed to turn the supporters and the management against them, the new attacking signings were all disappointing, with the possible exception of Chapuis, and he had arrived on a free transfer. The Red and Blacks suffered at home, picking up a paltry 9 points from as many games. It was Rennes’ away form which helped to keep them out of the relegation zone at the halfway point of the season (15th with 19 points). The manager was saved thanks to a 1-0 win in Paris on the 18th round of matches, and the team went on the record 6 games without defeat, to climb up to 6th place after 23 matches. But aside from a memorable 6-1 thrashing of Guingamp, the Bretons were soon eliminated in both the cups, losing 2-4 to Nantes and 1-3 against Amiens, and only just managed to achieve a spot in the Intertoto Cup, finishing 6th on 50 points, a far cry from the original objectives set for the team.