Optimism has steadily deteriorated for Rennes since suffering two losses across their last three Ligue 1 outings (W1), representing as many as in their opening 15 in 2022/23. After a 2-1 defeat away to Clermont on Wednesday, manager Bruno Génésio must now avoid consecutive league reversals for the first this campaign if his side are to reduce their five-point gap to third-placed Marseille and consolidate their position within the top four.
The Red and Blacks have turned Roazhon Park into something of a fortress having won their previous eight top-flight home matches here. A ninth straight home victory would mark their longest ever such run but if Genesio is to achieve such a feat when French juggernauts PSG come to town, he’ll need to do so without the attacking prowess of the injured Martin Terrier (G9, A4) and suspended Benjamin Bourigeaud (G3, A5), absentees which make the task at hand extremely challenging.
Despite suffering their first defeat of the season against Lens on New Year’s Day, PSG sit six points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 standings ahead of the round, after a 2-0 home win against Angers on Wednesday. Oozing with confidence after winning the World Cup, Lionel Messi contributed to that victory with a goal, and here he will be accompanied by Neymar and Kylian Mbappé with the “MNM” set to reunite for the first time since mid-November!
Knowing that PSG have been winless in their previous three visits to Rennes (D1, L2), manager Christophe Galtier could hardly have dreamt a better moment to get his magical trio back, who have accounted for 67% of his team’s Ligue 1 goals this term. That menacing frontline and the know-how of Galtier, who has lost none of his previous six personal H2Hs vs Rennes (W3, D3), could make a key difference here.
Players to watch: Rennes will hope Amine Gouiri can find the net, after leading his team to victory in his six goal-scoring league matches in 2022/23. He could be upstaged by PSG’s Mbappé however, who has found the net within 30 minutes in six of the last eight Ligue 1 away games he scored in.
Hot stat: PSG (13) and Rennes (11) have scored more goals after the 75th minute than any other Ligue 1 sides.
