Preview: US Chantilly vs. Rennes - prediction, team news, lineups

Fourth-tier US Chantilly host Rennes in Sunday’s Coupe de France tie at Stade des Bourgognes, looking to claim a major scalp in the round-of-32 encounter.

The hosts are third-bottom in their division but have advanced to this stage in the domestic cup, and they seek possibly their most significant victory at this level at the expense of Habib Beye’s Ligue 1 side.

Match preview

While Yacoub Yassine’s Chantilly could lose their status in the Championnat National 2 - Groupe B, the lowly fourth-tier club are enjoying their finest run in the domestic cup this year.

Having entered this year’s edition having suffered four consecutive third-round exits in 2017-18, 2020-21, 2023-24 and 2024-25, you would have forgiven anyone connected to the club for expecting another early exit this year.

What was perhaps unforeseen was the club’s five-match winning streak in this competition, defeating Laon, Grande-Synthe, Premontre, Cormontreuil and Freyming to become first-time participants in the round of 32.

Yassine’s team have been rather prolific in the domestic cup, scoring at least two goals across their five victories, while they have kept a pair of clean sheets in 3-0 wins over Premontre and Freyming, the latter of which allowed them to set up a mouthwatering tie against Ligue 1 opponents.

With history already made in Oise, one more victory to take them into the last 16 would be an incredible achievement for the fourth-tier club.

© Imago / ZUMA Press Wire

A defeat for the Brittany-based visitors would send shockwaves across French football, not only due to Rennes’ top-flight status but also due to their strong form either side of the new year.

Beye’s team may not be in the title conversation in Ligue 1, but they sit sixth in the top flight on 30 points, three behind third-placed Marseille and nine adrift of defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.

While they suffered a heavy 5-0 loss to PSG in Paris, that crushing defeat remains Les Rennais’ only loss since a 2-1 home defeat by Nice at the end of October.

Only one loss in nine matches is a commendable run for any side on paper, but claiming seven wins during that period doubly underlines Rennes’ outstanding results, and they head into Sunday’s cup tie on a three-match winning streak since early December’s thrashing in Paris, either side of 2026.

One of their victories includes a 3-0 triumph over Les Sables in this competition’s round-of-64 tie to conclude 2025.

They have started 2026 with another clean sheet, this time defeating fourth-placed Lille 2-0 away from home, suggesting that they are not letting up after a pleasing end to the previous year.

The four-time Coupe de France champions are far from dreaming of a first domestic cup title since 2019, but securing one more win takes them closer to major silverware.

US Chantilly Coupe de France form:

US Chantilly form (all competitions):

Rennes Coupe de France form:

Rennes form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

While Dramane Kone leads the scoring charts in the league with four goals, Ismael Karamoko’s three strikes in the cup add to the home team’s threat.

Although he was uninvolved in the last round, Yacine Boucharoud has scored twice in four cup appearances, also making the left winger a possible match-deciding star from the start or off the bench.

With a goal and an assist each in the previous round, Nianankoro Doumbia and Cerene Traore aim to repeat their heroics from the last round at Rennes’ expense.

Rennes, meanwhile, have three players away at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations — Mahamadou Nagida, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal and Seko Fofana — although Nagida should return soon after Cameroon’s exit on Friday.

Breel Embolo played in and scored a brace in December’s 3-0 win over Les Sables, and the Swiss player is expected to start on Sunday as Rennes aim to avoid a shock exit.

The wing-backs in that match were influential — Quentin Merlin scored and assisted while Mousa Tamari set up two — and both could play crucial roles this weekend.

US Chantilly possible starting lineup:

Corentin; Decroix, Seka, Coulibaly; N’Diaye, Doumbia, Issifou, Rodrigues; Karamoko, Kone; Joseph

Rennes possible starting lineup:

Silistrie; Seidu, Rouault, Brassier; Merlin, Camara, Rongier, Blas, Tamari; Lepaul, Embolo

We say: US Chantilly 1-4 Rennes

While Chantilly’s prolific scoring run in the early rounds has been a joy to watch, the step up in class to face a clinical top-flight defence will likely be too steep.  

Rennes are in formidable form and possess enough individual quality to dismantle the fourth-tier side’s dream.

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