Preview: Montpellier HSC vs. Rennes - prediction, team news, lineups

Rennes take the long trip south to Stade de la Mosson to take on Montpellier HSC in the first Ligue 1 action of matchday 26 on Friday evening.

The hosts bounced back with a win last weekend and moved into the top half of the table, while the visitors were also victorious and are currently hanging onto their spot in the top five.

Match preview

© Reuters

Just a few weeks after having been at the forefront of the battle for the European spots, a series of losses had seen Montpellier drop all the way to 11th coming into last weekend's game at Lorient.

Since the turn of the year, they had lost four out of their five league games - a 3-2 victory against Monaco courtesy of a Stephy Mavididi 90th-minute winner the exception - and also been knocked out of the Coupe de France.

La Paillade were able to secure an important 1-0 win on Sunday, though, captain Teji Savanier eventually finding the back of the net just before the hour mark, after a series of testing long-range efforts.

That result moves Savanier's side back up to ninth, and the close nature of the Ligue 1 midtable means they are just one point from sixth-placed Monaco.

More importantly, they are also only three points shy of their upcoming opponents in fifth.

© Reuters

That means a second victory in five days would see Olivier Dall'Oglio's men draw level on points with Rennes, although they are somewhat unlikely to move above them, requiring a 20-goal swing in goal difference to do so.

The visitors' impressive goal record comes largely via a 5-0 thrashing of Saint-Etienne in December and last month's match where they hit Bordeaux for six, but they also did their goal difference no harm last weekend.

After suffering a heartbreaking last-gasp defeat to league leaders Paris Saint-Germain the previous weekend, Les Rennais looked to return to winning ways when they hosted Troyes.

Sehrou Guirassy had already made it 2-0 inside 20 minutes and, after Ike Ugbo had pulled one back for ESTAC, Martin Terrier and a cheeky Gaetan Laborde panenka penalty saw the home side complete a 4-1 victory.

That allowed Bruno Genesio's side to tighten their grip on the fifth place that would see them make a return trip to the Europa Conference League, although it is still just a four-point gap all the way back to 11th so they must keep up their strong form.

Team News

© Reuters

Montpellier will once again be without Mavididi, although Dall'Oglio hopes the English forward will return from his knee injury in time for the game against Bordeaux.

That leaves Valere Germain the most likely to lead the line in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Mavididi is far from the only injury problem for the hosts - Pedro Mendes, Maxime Esteve and Thibault Tamas were joined in the treatment room by left-back Mihailo Ristic last week, and now Mamadou Sakho will also be out of action.

Rennes also have a fair few players out injured, but none that are seemingly long term.

Lesley Ugochukwu is looking closer to a return from an ankle problem, as are Jeremy Doku from a hamstring issue and Flavien Tait from a groin strain.

Romain Salin and Jeremy Gelin are not expected back until next month with a calf and ACL injury respectively.

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Omlin; Souquet, Cozza, Thuler, Oyongo; Ferri, Chotard; Mollet, Savanier, Wahi; Germain

Rennes possible starting lineup:

Alemdar; Meling, Aguerd, Omari, Traore; Santamaria, Martin, Majer; Terrier, Laborde, Guirassy

We say: Montpellier HSC 1-1 Rennes

Whilst Rennes' loss-win-loss-win-loss-win run of form implies that they are due another defeat this time out, we are backing them to break that sequence. They have the slightly better team on paper but Montpellier have home advantage and the momentum of their win at the weekend so we are banking on a 1-1 draw on this occasion.