Rodez kicks off summer prep with Bastia friendly on Friday

Rodez, sitting 5th in Ligue 2 with 58 points from 34 games this season, face Bastia in a friendly on Friday July 10 at 11:00 at the La Roque stadium in Onet-le-Château. The Sang et Or use the clash to test new faces and early-season form before the league restarts.

The fixture was moved from near Toulouse to Onet-le-Château. « These last few years we’ve done a lot of away friendlies. It’s good that sometimes others come to us, » said Didier Santini, Rodez’s head coach. He plans to rotate his squad and use the game to sharpen patterns on a full-size pitch.

A reshaped side with two new recruits

Santini will field two entirely different XIs in each half. In goal, Lucas Margueron is set to start ahead of Quentin Braat, while Enzo Crombez is in line for Friday’s second half against Cannes. The squad already features two summer arrivals—Antonin Cartillier and Mathis Touho—plus youngsters Joshua Ndiefi, Antoine Caubet and Djibril Mavounia.

« The lads have put in huge work, » Santini noted. The side just finished a grueling pre-season block and views Friday as a vital step back to match rhythm. « So far, everything’s going well, » he added.

A familiar foe for Rodez

Bastia, newly relegated to Ligue 3, are now led by Laurent Peyrelade, Rodez’s former boss from 2015–22. The tie carries extra spice for both clubs during summer friendlies.

Friday’s game is Rodez’s first real test ahead of the league curtain-raiser. The side has scored 45 and conceded 39 (+6) this term, showing both defensive steel and attacking punch. Yet they sit nine points behind leaders ESTAC Troyes and must convert pre-season promise into points when the fixtures resume.

Next up: Mallemort camp and Cannes friendly

After beating Bastia, Rodez head to a week-long camp in Mallemort. The next friendly—against Cannes next Friday—will give Santini another chance to fine-tune his squad before the league’s official return.

With new recruits in the ranks, Rodez is banking on this pre-season to lock in its systems and chase higher ambitions in Ligue 2. Friday’s outing looks like a promising first rehearsal for the faithful in Rodez.