Steve Mandanda does not regret having left OM, his “heart club“. Presented at a press conference on Monday, the new goalkeeper of Stade Rennais ensures that his choice to join the club for two years, after having spent almost his entire career in Marseille, was the result of serious reflection. “Coming to Rennes is a carefully considered choice“, assured the 37-year-old goalkeeper, trained in Le Havre (2004-07) and who then spent his entire career at OM, with the exception of the 2016-17 season spent in England, at Crystal Palace. “You had to be convinced that I still had this desire to perform and help the club.».
Asked about his departure from Olympique de Marseille, the former glory of the Vélodrome said to himself “attached to the clubwith which he played 613 professional matches (a record for OM), won a French championship title (2010), three League Cups (2010, 2011, 2012) and lost a Europa League final (2018 ). “I’ve been through everything there, it hasn’t been easy, it’s my love club, I’m not going to lie to you, I’ll continue to follow them“, chained the doorman, who would have”preferred to say goodbye in another way (than by a message on Instagram, editor’s note) to OM supporters, but the timing meant that it was not possible».
He did not discuss with the staff of the Blues on his transfer
The technical director of Stade Rennais, Florian Maurice, who was looking for a goalkeeper to replace Alfred Gomis, holder but unsatisfactory last season, wishes to give playing time to Mandanda “He came to play“said Maurice, who assures that his role will go beyond stopping opposing shots. “In terms of maturity, player profile, he is what we were looking for, he has a very complete analysis of what Stade Rennes needs».
The former OM and Olympique Lyonnais striker said he wanted “play very attacking like last year, score goalswhile plugging holes in his team’s defensive system by creating “a balance that allows us not to lose 12 times, already“, as during the past season in L1, which ended despite this in 4th place. On the France team, Steve Mandanda, world champion in Russia in 2018 as Hugo Lloris’ understudy, believes that this “never refuse“. In trouble with the Blues where he is in the fight with Alphonse Areola for the place of N.3 behind Lloris and Mike Maignan, he wants “already find playing time, be efficient». «After of course there is this possibility“, even if he has “never“ evoked his transfer with the tricolor staff.