Preview:Lorient vs Rennes - prediction, team news, lineups

Desperate to get off the mark in Ligue 1, Lorient are set to face Rennes at Stade du Moustoir on Sunday afternoon.

Les Merlus will be hoping to bounce back from defeat last time out, while Les Rouge et Noirs are looking for back-to-back wins.

Match preview

Olivier Pantaloni's Lorient were promoted to the top flight after lifting the Ligue 2 title in 2024-25, and the manager will be keen to re-establish the club as a league regular.

That being said, Les Merlus made a poor start to the campaign last Sunday when they were beaten 1-0 on the road to Auxerre, marking their second loss on the bounce.

After matchday one, Pantaloni's side are currently 14th in the table, and they will be relieved that they are level on zero points with seven other teams including Nice and Marseille.

Playing their first home game of the season this weekend, the hosts will feel capable of achieving a positive result given their record at Stade du Moustoir that features just one defeat in the last 12 months.

Additionally, Lorient have won six of their last seven on their own turf, drawing their most recent clash 1-1 against La Liga's Osasuna in pre-season.

Meanwhile, Habib Beye's Rennes finished 12th in Ligue 1 in 2024-25, and though they ended the season eight points clear of the relegation zone, they were also 16 short of the European places.

This time around, Les Rouge et Noirs will be aiming to reach the top six and gain entry to the UEFA qualifiers after missing out for the first time in seven years last term.

To that end, Beye's men earned three points from their opening-day fixture, triumphing 1-0 against Marseille in a strange match that saw Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal sent off in the first half, as well as a Ludovic Blas winner in second-half stoppage time.

That victory has Rennes seventh in the top flight, and a second win should see them into the European spots, where they would be level on points with top-of-the-table Paris Saint-Germain.

However, fans of Les Rouge et Noirs may be concerned by the fact that their team have lost their last three competitive away matches, but they could take heart from their unbeaten streak of three games on the road during pre-season.

Lorient Ligue 1 form:

Rennes Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Lorient will be without loanee centre-back Abdoulaye Faye this weekend as he recovers from a broken foot, while midfielder Noah Cadiou is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

in their absence, Pantaloni should opt for a back three of Formose Mendy, Montassar Talbi and Igor Silva, while Arthur Ebong Avon and Laurent Abergel operate in the centre of the park.

As for Rennes, they are missing a number of players in their backline, with centre-half Lilian Brassier dealing with an ankle issue, fellow central defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal suspended due to his red card last time out, and right wing-back Przemyslaw Frankowski suffering a groin injury.

With that in mind, manager Beye is likely to start Christopher Wooh at centre-back, while Mahamadou Nagida operates at wing-back this weekend.

Lorient possible starting lineup:

Kamara; Mendy, Talbi, Silva; Mvuka Mvuka, Ebong, Abergel, Kouassi; Tosin, Bamba, Pagis

Rennes possible starting lineup:

Samba; Nagida, Wooh, Jacquet, Rouault, Merlin; Rieder, Rongier, Fofana; Tamari, Meite

We say: Lorient 1-1 Rennes

Lorient will be desperate to put their first points on the board this weekend, and their excellent home record suggests that they could earn at least a draw.

Rennes are in contrasting away form with three defeats from their last three competitive away matches, through they could walk away with a point against the promoted club.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.