Preview: Rennes vs Paris Saint-Germain - prediction, team news, lineups

Managerless Rennes face a tough task in their bid to halt a worrying slide as they welcome league leaders Paris Saint-Germain to Roazhon Park for the opening fixture of round 22 in Ligue 1.

The Red and Blacks dismissed Habib Beye on Monday following a series of poor results, the latest being a 3–1 defeat at Lens over the weekend, while Les Parisiens enter this encounter after thrashing Marseille 5–0 in Sunday’s Le Classique.

Match preview

Amid reports of dressing-room unrest and a run of poor results, it felt only a matter of time before a change at the helm at Rennes, who eventually sacked Beye after failing to record a victory in his last five games across all competitions (D1, L4), including three consecutive defeats during a four-match winless league streak.

Last weekend’s loss at Lens saw the Red and Blacks take an early lead through Esteban Lepaul, but the Brittany club eventually left Stade Bollaert-Delelis empty-handed despite playing the majority of the second half with a man advantage.

Franck Haise has been tipped as the leading candidate to take over the reins, though with no confirmation yet, Sebastien Tambouret is likely to step in as caretaker boss and will be tasked with steadying an already faltering European push.

Rennes are currently sixth in the Ligue 1 table, two points off fifth-placed Lille and eight adrift of the top four, while they are also at risk of slipping out of the continental places, holding just a one-point cushion over seventh-placed Strasbourg, making a positive result on Friday crucial.

The Red and Blacks can draw some encouragement from losing just one of their last six home matches across all competitions (W4, L1), although that defeat did come in their most recent such outing, leaving them with 18 points from a possible 30 at Roazhon Park in the league this season.

PSG, on the other hand, are in explosive form, winning each of their last seven top-flight matches — a run that began with a 5–0 thrashing of Rennes in the reverse fixture, marking a fourth straight victory in this head-to-head.

Last weekend’s emphatic Clasique win saw Ousmane Dembele net a first-half brace before a Facundo Medina own goal, a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia strike and a Lee Kang-In effort completed the rout.

That result saw Les Parisiens reclaim top spot after Lens’ brief stay at the summit following their win over Rennes a day earlier, and with the roles reversed this time, PSG could open up a five-point gap with victory here, pending the second-placed side’s fixture on Saturday.

An impressive run of three straight league victories on the road provides further confidence for the leaders, although each of those wins came by a one-goal margin — two secured with late strikes — suggesting this may still prove competitive.

That said, Luis Enrique’s men have scored two or more goals in six of their last seven Ligue 1 matches, so another dominant attacking display could be on the cards, especially against a side that has conceded at least three goals in each of their last three outings across all competitions.
 

Rennes Ligue 1 form:

Rennes form (all competitions):

Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 form:

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Last weekend’s defeat at Lens came with extra baggage for Rennes, who saw two players stretchered off, including Liverpool-bound defender Jeremy Jacquet, who may require shoulder surgery and could be ruled out for the remainder of the season.

The other casualty was centre-back Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, who sustained a thigh injury and is also expected to spend time on the sidelines, further stretching an already busy treatment room.

Przemysław Frankowski and Djaoui Cisse are set to miss a third consecutive outing through injury; Glen Kamara could be unavailable for back-to-back matches, while winter signing Yassir Zabiri is yet to feature due to fitness issues.

First-choice goalkeeper Brice Samba was left out of last weekend’s trip following a fallout with former boss Beye, and it remains to be seen whether the 31-year-old will be recalled.

Meanwhile, PSG will remain without midfielder Fabian Ruiz, who has missed the last four outings with a knee injury, while winger Quentin Ndjantou continues to nurse a hamstring problem that has kept him out since December.

On a positive note, right-back Achraf Hakimi is expected to return after serving a one-match suspension, and his availability would likely allow Warren Zaire-Emery to shift back into midfield.

Dembele’s brace last weekend brought his Ligue 1 tally to seven — level with Bradley Barcola — and both will look to trouble the Rennes defence, with Kvaratskhelia likely completing the attacking trio in Enrique’s preferred 4-3-3.

Rennes possible starting lineup:

Samba; Seidu, Rouault, Brassier; Nordin, Camara, Rongier, Merlin, Tamari; Lepaul, Embolo

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola

We say: Rennes 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain

The two sides arrive with contrasting momentum, and PSG appear well-placed to capitalise on Rennes’ off-field and on-field instability.

The league leaders should be able to extend their advantage at the summit — at least temporarily —  though the host could still manage to find the net considering they have scored in seven of their last eight home games.

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