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

OGC Nice and Stade Rennais will meet in a Ligue 1 clash at the Allianz Riviera on Sunday, with both sides eager to secure a result as they continue their push toward their respective objectives for the season.

Les Aiglons head into the encounter unbeaten in their last four home matches despite failing to record a victory during that run, while Rennes arrive in strong form with three consecutive wins, including a victory in their most recent away fixture, as they continue their pursuit of a European qualification spot for next season.

Match preview

Despite enduring an underwhelming season overall, Nice secured a place in the Coupe de France semi-finals after defeating Lorient 6–5 on penalties on Wednesday, a morale-boosting result that should help them prepare for Sunday’s clash against Rennes, who are pushing for a European qualification spot next season.

There have been slight signs of improvement since Claude Puel returned to manage the side until the end of the campaign, with the former Monaco title-winning coach helping to stabilise the team and halt a damaging run of defeats.

However, results have remained modest in Ligue 1, as Puel has collected seven points from a possible 24 in his eight league matches since returning in December, recording one win, four draws and three defeats, though Nice have at least remained unbeaten in their last four home matches since the 1-0 loss to Angers on December 7.

Les Aiglons currently sit 15th in Ligue 1 with 24 points from 24 matches, 17 fewer than they had at the same stage last season but remain six points clear of the relegation playoff spot and will be eager to further distance themselves from the drop zone.

While their Coupe de France run has been impressive, it contrasts sharply with their struggles in league and European competitions during the 2025–26 campaign, where they lost seven of their eight Europa League League Phase matches and have managed just one win in their last 14 Ligue 1 fixtures, a 4-1 triumph away at Nantes in January.

Interestingly, that victory over Nantes remains their only success against a top-flight side from Brittany this season, although Nice did defeat Rennes 2-1 at Roazhon Park last October, and they also hold the stronger historical record in this fixture with 48 wins from 112 previous meetings, alongside 26 draws and 40 defeats.

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With two wins in his opening two matches, returning manager Franck Haise has wasted little time making an impact at Rennes, and he will be eager to maintain that early momentum against Nice, the club he departed at the end of 2025.

Haise is overseeing a measured reset at Rennes, beginning with a convincing 3–0 victory at Auxerre, and are on a three game winning streak since the departure of former manager Habib Beye.

The squad had originally been assembled to operate with a three-man defence, a system Beye continued to use during his tenure before leaving for Olympique Marseille, though results were inconsistent as Rennes endured a slow start to the campaign, drawing six of eight matches between late August and the end of October despite rarely losing.

That run increased pressure on Beye, and although the Breton club briefly rediscovered form during November and December, another barren spell eventually brought his reign to an end in February.

Sebastien Tambouret subsequently took interim charge and guided Rennes to a surprising 3–1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Roazhon Park by abandoning the back three in favour of a 4-3-3 formation, a tactical shift that Haise has retained since taking permanent charge, even naming the same starting XI in each of his first matches.

The change in shape has brought greater defensive stability as shown in their narrow 1–0 win over Toulouse at the weekend while the consistency in team selection has also helped the players settle after a period of frequent rotation under Beye as he searched for the right formula.

Rennes had occupied sixth place for nearly three months, a position that could have secured European qualification depending on the outcome of the Coupe de France, but they have since slipped out of the European places on goal difference and are currently seventh on 40 points, level with AS Monaco in fifth and Lille in sixth.

A demanding run-in awaits the Breton side, beginning with Sunday’s trip to Nice, followed by a home clash against Lille in eight days before difficult away fixtures at Strasbourg, Lyon and Marseille later in the campaign.

Nice Ligue 1 form:

Nice form (all competitions):

Rennes Ligue 1 form:

Rennes form (all competitions):

Team News

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Isak Jansson is expected to miss another match for Nice due to a knee problem, while Elye Wahi remains sidelined with an ankle injury, Melvin Bard is struggling with adductor pain, and Moise Bombito is still doubtful as he continues to recover from a lower-leg fracture.

Mohamed Abdelmonem and Youssouf Ndayishimiye are both ruled out with cruciate ligament injuries, but leading goalscorer Sofiane Diop is set to return from suspension, while midfielder Hicham Boudaoui faces a possible suspension after accumulating four yellow cards.

For Rennes, Glen Kamara will also miss the trip this weekend because of an ankle injury, while Jeremy Jacquet is still dealing with a shoulder problem and Przemyslaw Frankowski remains unavailable due to a calf strain.

January signing Arnaud Nordin scored the decisive goal in last weekend’s victory over Toulouse and featured alongside fellow winter arrival Sebastien Szymanski, with the duo already providing renewed attacking impetus and quickly establishing themselves in Haise’s starting lineup.

Nice possible starting lineup:

Dupe; Clauss, Oppong, Dante, Abdi; Vanhoutte, Sanson; Cho, Louchet, Diop; Carlos

Rennes possible starting lineup:

Samba; Nagida, Rouault, Brassier, Merlin; Rongier, Camara, Szymanski; Taamari, Nordin, Lepaul

We say: Nice 1-0 Rennes

This is a difficult contest to predict due to several factors, including former players eager to prove a point against their former manager and the fact that both sides are currently adjusting to relatively new coaches in the dugout.

However, Nice and Puel appear overdue for another victory and, given their recent resilience at home, while a draw would not be surprising, the hosts may just edge the contest and hand Haise his first defeat as Rennes manager.

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