MX23RW : Thursday, March 28 10:06:46| >> :600:1020090:1020090:
[monks data]
Rennes
Ligue 1 | Gameweek 13
Dec 5, 2020 at 4pm UK
Route de Lorient
Lens logo

Rennes
0 - 2
Lens


N'Kemboanza Mike Christopher Nzonzi (87')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Kalimuendo (28'), Ganago (78')
Gradit (20'), Bade (42'), Cahuzac (42')

Preview: Rennes vs. Lens - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Ligue 1 clash between Rennes and Lens, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Rennes will be aiming to win their first game since October when they welcome Lens to Roazhon Park for Saturday's Ligue 1 showdown.

The two sides are only separated by one point in the table, with Les Rouge et Noir in seventh, while Lens - who have a game in hand - sit ninth ahead of the weekend.


Match preview

Rennes head coach Julien Stephan pictured on November 4, 2020© Reuters

Champions League Group E is already done and dusted ahead of the final matchday next week, and Rennes' maiden venture in Europe's premier competition has been a truly forgettable experience for Julien Stephan and co.

Chelsea and Sevilla have secured their spots in the next round, FC Krasnodar will drop down to the Europa League, and Rennes are guaranteed to finish bottom after taking just one point from a possible 15 in the group so far.

Stephan's side made the long journey to Russia to take on Krasnodar on Wednesday evening, but a Marcus Berg goal was enough to condemn Rennes to their fourth European defeat of the campaign and extend their winless run to six matches in all competitions.

Les Rouge et Noir have hardly fared better in Ligue 1 either, and Stephan was unable to lead his side to victory over 10-man Strasbourg last Friday as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw, with Rennes having to rely on substitute Adrien Hunou to save their bacon as he headed home the equaliser in the second half.

Rennes have slowly slipped away from the European-chasing pack amid their dismal spell of form, but should Marseille suffer an unexpected defeat to Nimes on Friday, Stephan's side will climb above Les Olympiens into sixth with a victory against surprise package Lens.

Lens manager Franck Haise pictured in September 2020© Reuters

While Lens can only boast one win from their last five in Ligue 1, Franck Haise will no doubt be delighted with the way his side have gone about their business since returning to the big time.

Four victories from their first five games saw Lens make a fast charge towards the European places, but last season's Ligue 2 runners-up recently tasted defeat for the second time this season as Angers overcame Lens 3-1 last Sunday.

The two sides could not be separated in the opening 45, with the scores level at 1-1 at half time, but Angers struck twice through Stephane Bahoken and Pierrick Capelle in the second half to condemn Haise's men to their first home loss of the campaign.

The Lens boss may be starting to feel slightly concerned after witnessing his side slowly drop off, but Rennes are hardly in better form themselves and this weekend's visitors will certainly feel capable of pulling off a shock result at Roazhon Park.

Rennes and Lens have not locked horns since the 2014-15 campaign, and Les Rouge et Noir took the spoils 2-0 at home before winning 1-0 away in that Ligue 1 season.

Rennes Ligue 1 form: DLWLLD
Rennes form (all competitions): LLLLDL

Lens Ligue 1 form: WLDWDL


Team News

Lens celebrate scoring against Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 on September 10, 2020© Reuters

Hunou could be in line for another start up top here due to Serhou Guirassy's ankle injury, with the 24-year-old likely to remain sidelined for the next couple of months, although M'Baye Niang is another option for Stephan.

Alfred Gomis picked up a minor injury before the defeat to Krasnodar, which meant that Romain Salin had to deputise on Wednesday evening, but Gomis should return to the first XI on Saturday.

Martin Terrier and Nayef Aguerd are yet to recover from coronavirus, while Daniele Rugani remains on the treatment table with a thigh problem.

Meanwhile, Lens boss Haise only has one injury concern in the form of Cheick Traore, who is nursing an Achilles problem, with the visitors otherwise in good shape heading into this game.

Ignatius Ganago will be vying for a recall to the Lens attack, but Arnaud Kalimuendo is unlikely to be dropped following his goal against Angers.

Rennes possible starting lineup:
Gomis; Traore, Da Silva, Nyamsi, Maouassa; Nzonzi; Doku, Camavinga, Bourigeaud, Gboho; Niang

Lens possible starting lineup:
Leca; Medina, Bade, Gradit; Clauss, Doucoure, Fofana, Sylla; Kakuta; Sotoca, Kalimuendo


SM words green background

We say: Rennes 2-1 Lens

Lens have been much stronger at home than on their travels this season, but there is reason for optimism among the Sang et Or camp given Rennes's abysmal spell of form. Stephan's side must end their winless run soon lest they risk slipping out of contention for a European berth, and we are backing Rennes to finally register a vital three points with a slender victory on Saturday.


Top betting tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or draw in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home/Draw:data


ID:424805: cacheID:424805:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:9592:

Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Rennes win with a probability of 41.95%. A win for Lens had a probability of 31.63% and a draw had a probability of 26.4%.

The most likely scoreline for a Rennes win was 1-0 with a probability of 10.71%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (8.74%) and 2-0 (7.46%). The likeliest Lens win was 0-1 (9.02%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (12.56%). The actual scoreline of 0-2 was predicted with a 5.3% likelihood.


Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Chelsea's Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring the winner against Rennes in the Champions League on November 24, 2020
Read Next:
Frank Lampard highlights Olivier Giroud's importance to Chelsea after Rennes win
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG26178162233959
2Brest26138536201647
3MonacoMonaco26137647361146
4Lille261110537231443
5Nice2612772720743
6Lens2612683527842
7Marseille26109740281239
8Rennes2610974031939
9Reims26115103435-138
10Lyon26104123040-1034
11Toulouse2678112936-729
12StrasbourgStrasbourg2678112839-1129
13Le HavreLe Havre2669112633-727
14Montpellier HSCMontpellier2669113140-926
15Lorient2668123549-1426
16NantesNantes2674152441-1725
17Metz2665152339-1623
18Clermont2648141943-2420


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!