French football clubs delivered a mixed bag of results during their latest round of pre-season friendlies. While some sides showcased promising form, others struggled to find their rhythm ahead of the new campaign.
The Stade Rennais continued their strong preparation with a hard-fought victory over Club Bruges, securing a 2-1 win at the Roazhon Park. Estéban Lepaul, the club’s standout performer, contributed with his third goal of the summer just before halftime. Issa Soumaré sealed the win late in the game, adding to his growing reputation following his summer arrival from Le Havre. Despite a late consolation for the Belgian champions, Rennes’ young goalkeeper Kilian Belazzoug stood firm to preserve the result. Their next challenge awaits on August 2 against Galatasaray.
Monaco suffers second consecutive defeat
The AS Monaco endured another tough outing, falling 2-0 to Sporting CP in Lisbon. Without several key players, including Ousmane Camara and Moise Akliouche, Monaco struggled to impose themselves against a well-organized Portuguese side. Despite a valiant effort from Lukas Hradecky and defensive pair Thilo Kehrer and Eric Dier, two second-half goals—first from Rafael Nel and then a stunning strike by Jesse Derry—sealed their fate. A late shot hit the crossbar, sparing Monaco from a heavier defeat. They will look to bounce back against Cercle Bruges next week.
Strasbourg stumbles in England
The Racing Club de Strasbourg suffered another setback, losing 2-0 to Blackburn Rovers in England. After falling behind from an own goal by Andrew Omobamidele, Strasbourg showed flashes of quality but ultimately lacked the cutting edge. Polish goalkeeper Milosz Piekutowski made crucial saves, while young forward Samuel Amo-Ameyaw failed to convert a penalty he had won. Blackburn doubled their lead late in the game with a long-range effort from Todd Cantwell. Strasbourg now turn their attention to their Ligue 1 opener against Olympique de Marseille.
Other friendly results
- Lens and Charleroi played out a 2-2 draw
- Angers beat Créteil 2-1 in a tightly contested match
- Troyes dominated Grenoble with a 3-0 victory
- Le Mans edged past Nantes 1-0 in a lower-league clash
- Guingamp fell to Lorient 2-0
- Union Saint-Gilloise defeated Lille 2-1
- Auxerre lost 2-1 to Orléans in the third tier
- Marseille were stunned by a 3-0 loss to Nice
- Le Havre secured a 2-1 win over Red Star
- Toulouse and Rodez played out a 1-1 draw