Ligue 1 side Rennes have received a scheduled boost for facing Arsenal in the Europa League Round Of 16 clash in the first leg. The French club will now have a nine-day break for permission the first leg of the Europa League game.
Arsenal overcame a 1-0 deficit at the hands of BATE Borisov when the Gunners won 3-0 at the Emirates and progressed to the next stage of the Europa League. However, it won’t get any easier for the North London side as their opponents in the Round of 16, Rennes, have been given a slight advantage in terms of their fixture schedule.
The English capital side will travel to France to play the first leg of the Round of 16 encounters against Rennes on the 7th of March but Rennes will have a break until then as a Ligue 1 game against Nimes, which was supposed to be played on 2nd March will be postponed.
A statement from the League De Football Professionnel (LFP) read, “In order to allow Stade Rennais to prepare in the best possible conditions its double confrontation against Arsenal in the knockout stages of the Europa League, the Bureau of the LFP has accepted the request of the club to postpone the match.”
Rennes are currently ninth in the Ligue 1 table and after facing Orleans in the Coupe De France today, they will have an eight-day break until Unai Emery’s side visit the Roazhon Park. Rennes could also be given permission to postpone their Ligue 1 game against Caen, which is on Sunday, 10th March.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will face a crunch north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday before making the trip to France, with just a five day recovery period.
In a busy schedule, Arsenal then host another top-four competitor in Manchester United at the Emirates on Sunday, 10th March which gives them just five more days for the 2nd leg against Rennes at London.
