Rennes manager 'convinced' of win over Leicester City even as he turns to third-choice keeper

Rennes manager Bruno Genesio is convinced his side can overturn a two-goal deficit against Leicester City even as he prepares to field his third-choice goalkeeper.

Genesio is looking to make history on Thursday night as Rennes seek to overcome their 2-0 loss at the King Power Stadium and reach the quarter-finals of a European competition for the very first time. City have only ever done it once themselves.

He will have to do it without his number one goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, who broke his hand in the weekend’s 4-2 victory over Lyon, Rennes’ fourth straight Ligue 1 win that moved them to a point off second place. With second-choice Romain Salin also injured, Genesio is expected to turn to Turkish teenager Dogan Alemdar.

The problems do not end there for Rennes either. Winger Jeremy Doku, and international team-mate of Youri Tielemans, has been ruled out with a slight calf problem.

Still, Genesio is full of confidence as he prepares to welcome City to Roazhon Park. He is taking inspiration from a match in 2019 against Arsenal when they went 1-0 down inside three minutes but still managed to win 3-1.

He said: “It can be a match that changes the history of the club a little bit, because it would be our first qualification in the quarter-finals of a European cup. To achieve the feat, an exceptional performance is necessary.

“Stade Rennais has shown in its short European history that it is capable of scoring against big teams, of reversing situations. This was the case against Arsenal, we must take inspiration from it.

“We know we're going to do it, we're convinced we're going to do it and for that, we'll need everyone's support. We have a lot of respect for this very good team, who were very effective in the first leg,