Laurent VIAUD

In the Summer of 1997, Stade Rennais FC collected a number of players on free transfers to build up its squad. Having been deprived of Rekdal, who had been transferred to Hertha Berlin, the Breton club acquired the services of Laurent Viaud to replace him, as he had just finished his contract with Monaco. This defensive or box-to-box midfielder, who had been developed at Angers, became a key player in the team set up by Manager David. Captain of the team who battled for survival right down to the last game against Toulouse (1-0 win), Viaud was the midfielder who did the bulk of the defensive work, after Lambert was consigned to the bench at Christmas. Viaud left the creative work to Bigné, Grégoire, Huard and Weiser, and only scored one goal, a penalty in a 1-1 draw at Auxerre. In the 1998/1999 season under Le Guen, he lost his place in the team with the arrival of Cissé, then left the club to join Estremadura in Spain during the Winter transfer window, just after a new player – Le Roux - arrived in direct competition for his place following his move to Rennes from FC Nantes.