Shortly before the hour mark of Rennes’ Coupe de la Ligue match with Arles-Avignon last week, coach Frédéric Antonetti turned to the bench and signalled for Yann M’Vila to get ready to come on. As the 22-year-old removed his track suit and went through a few stretches on the touchline in preparation to replace Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, there was some applause in the stands at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, but also the unmistakable sound of whistles.
M’Vila could hardly expect a warm reception after being brought back in from the cold. For the last couple of weeks, he and his teammate Chris Mavinga had been forced to train with the reserves. They’d brought shame on Rennes. For a time it was uncertain whether they’d be allowed to play for the club again this season. Antonetti spoke of a “betrayal of trust” and added: “I don’t know when they will return, but it couldn’t be before May 31.”
M’Vila and Mavinga were among a party of five France Under-21 players who were reported to have taken a taxi from their training camp in Le Harve the night after a 1-0 win against Norway in the first leg of their European Championship play-off on October 12 to a nightclub 200 km away on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. They only got back from their curfew-breaking outing in the early hours of the morning, sparking outrage once the story broke in the media.
Though given a good talking to by coach Erik Mombaerts, the players involved apparently weren’t punished. Days later, however, the France Under-21s lost their second leg with Norway 5-3 in Marienlyst and failed to qualify for Euro 2013. Mombaerts left his post by mutual consent, the French Football Federation launched an investigation and Rennes revealed their intention to take strong disciplinary action against M’Vila and Mavinga.
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