Ligue1.com: Carlos, you play Lyon this weekend, do you feel the pressure on you coming into these high profile clashes?

Carlos Bocanegra: "These are the exciting games, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, you know these are the games where you get to test yourself against the best teams in the league and this is what you play for, everybody will be fired up... we like these games – I like these games."

L1: Your coming into the game on the back of two wins in your last seven games... You have a new coach this season, in Frédéric Antonetti, is the pressure mounting on him?

CB: "No. The coach has done really well. You know I lot of people can look at the coaches when things aren’t going right, but I think it’s us, the players, that need to look at ourselves. The coach has being doing a good job, he’s got us well organised and we play well against teams, we’re well prepared and we know how they are going to play against us. We just need to execute our game plan a little bit better."

L1: So if its not the coach...

CB: "I think the biggest problem for us is that everybody has been in good form individually, but not as a team. Players have been having a good game when other guys haven’t been performing so well. Our problem is in the group effort and getting everyone to play well at the same time. You need to play together to win games. Our problem at the moment is we’re not all pulling out that big performance at the same time."

L1: Perhaps this weekend against Lyon... Rennes haven’t lost at the Stade Gerland since January 2005!

CB: "We’ve studied Lyon and prepared well and we’ve got a pretty good track record against them and last, we were pretty disappointed not to come away with the win as they got a draw in the last minute. Obviously they’re a good side and were already qualified for the next phase of the Champions League. They lost on Wednesday but that’s a different story when you’re already through and have nothing to play for. But Lyon are a big team, they’re on TV a lot so we can check them out, we’re familiar with them and the new players they’ve got this season."

L1: What will be the key to Rennes success?

CB: "Obviously they have a pretty good attack and depending on which players they have it’ll be up to me to help shut that down, so I have to concentrate on my defensive job first and foremost. Keeping it solid at the back, keeping it tight because these guys are athletic, but they can also pass you off the field as well. We’ll be keeping it compact, but also looking to hit them on the break and when we do have possession, we can break the down with our passing game as well."

L1: You played your 50th match in Ligue 1, last weekend. Are these milestones and statistics important to you?

CB: "Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Although, I didn’t even realise until you told me. Thinking about it, 50 games in Ligue 1 is something I can look back at when my career is over. I played over 100 games in the Premiership for Fulham and hopefully I can get over 100 here in Ligue 1. But it’s something special to look back upon, so yeah it is special for me."  

>> Carlos Bocanegra player page

>> Press Kit: Olympique Lyonnais v Stade Rennais

Next Tuesday, in Part 2 of our exclusive feature interview Carlos Bocanegra talks about the USA's qualification for the World Cup finals as well as throws his support behind injured teammate Charlie Davies: "He'll be back, don’t you worry!"

And next Saturday in our final instalment, Carlos talks about Rennes' aims for the current campaign: ‘We are still in the championship hunt!’

Ligue1.com - R.Thomson