Rennes-Nantes: Terrier to return for Breton derby? | OneFootball

After nine months out with an All injury, Rennes' star striker Martin Terrier could make his return to Bruno Genesio's squad for the derby at home to Nantes on Sunday night, looking to be back in the swing for big upcoming clashes against Villarreal and PSG.

When Terrier collapsed in agony in the 2-1 defeat to Nice on January 2, it was only the beginning of a long injury absence caused by the dreaded ACL tear. Over nine months later the 26-year-old, who was in peak form when injury struck, is on the verge of a return to the squad and could get his first minutes as of this Sunday's derby at home to Nantes.

Genesio: 'We'll see about Nantes'

"Little by little, we've let him play and we've seen that he isn't afraid of challenges," explained Genesio. "We'll see about Nantes, and maybe we'll have him with us. We're happy to know that he's at the end of the tunnel, for him and for the team, because he's an important player."

An important player, certainly - in season 2021-22 he was unlucky to miss out on a call-up to Les Bleus, having racked up 21 goals and six assists in 46 matches in all competitions. However, his teammates pulled off a real coup to finish fourth in Ligue 1 Uber Eats without their attacking leader and best player and now the club are in need of their star man as the big games start to appear on the horizon.

Easy does it

After Sunday's derby, in which a win could see Genesio's side climb as high as third place, Les Rouge et Noir will quickly turn their attentions to next Thursday's Europa League clash with Villarreal in Spain - and then prepare for the visit of Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 Uber Eats Round 8 the following Sunday.

However, his return won't be rushed - as the club's sporting director Florian Maurice pointed out.

"An injury set-back like this is always hard to take, especially in the first few weeks, and that often happens when you're on top of your game," the former striker, who dealt with his own Achilles tendon difficulties in an injury-plagued spell with OM in 1996-97, explained. "But Martin got through it quite well, with the determination to come back - not as quickly as possible, but as well as possible."

Coming soon!

With Maurice continuing by explaining that the club will not be putting any pressure on their star man to come back early, we may not see Terrier's silky skills and devastating finishing on Sunday night  - but when we do see him again, chances are he'll be dong so with his injury history firmly in the rear-view.