PSG and Rennes go head-to-head at Roazhon Park on Friday night, with the Ligue 1 leaders looking to tighten their grip on top spot and the hosts desperate to revive their faltering European push.
Rennes sit sixth with 31 points from 21 games. PSG arrive in Brittany as league leaders on 51 points, boasting the division’s best attack and defence.
Rennes vs PSG – Match preview and team news
- Date: Friday, 13th February.
- Kick-off: 6pm BST.
- Venue: Roazhon Park, Rennes.
Rennes team news
Rennes come into this clash in the midst of upheaval after sacking head coach Habib Beye on Monday, ending his tenure following a run of five games without a win in all competitions (D1, L4).
The 3-1 defeat at Lens last weekend was costly beyond the scoreline. Liverpool-bound centre-back Jérémy Jacquet suffered a serious shoulder injury that is expected to require surgery and could rule him out for the rest of the season.
Fellow defender Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal also limped off with a thigh problem. He is set for several weeks on the sidelines.
The treatment room is already busy: Przemysław Frankowski and Djaoui Cissé are both expected to miss a third straight match through injury, while Glen Kamara remains a major doubt after an ankle issue, and winter signing Yassir Zabiri is still awaiting his debut due to fitness problems.
There is also intrigue around the goalkeeping position. First-choice Brice Samba was omitted from the Lens trip following a reported fallout with Beye. Interim boss Tambouret must now decide whether to recall the 31-year-old or persist with an alternative.
PSG team news
PSG travel to Roazhon Park in buoyant mood and close to full strength. However, Luis Enrique will again be without key midfielder Fabián Ruiz, who has missed the last four matches with a knee injury.
Young winger Quentin Ndjantou remains sidelined by a hamstring problem that has kept him out since December, while academy product Senny Mayulu is also listed as unavailable after a recent muscle issue.
There is better news at right-back, where Achraf Hakimi is set to return from suspension, allowing Warren Zaïre-Emery to move back into his natural midfield role after covering in defence.
Form
Rennes
Rennes approach this Rennes vs PSG showdown on a run of five games without a win in all competitions, losing four of those, including heavy league defeats to Lorient (0-2), Monaco (0-4) and Lens (1-3) and a 3-0 Coupe de France exit at Marseille.
That slump ultimately cost Beye his job, but despite their slide, Rennes remain sixth, just two points off fifth-placed Lille and one point ahead of Strasbourg, with a notably stronger home record of five wins, three draws and two losses in 10 league games.
PSG
PSG come into the clash on a streak of seven successive Ligue 1 victories, a run that began with a 5-0 thrashing of Rennes in the reverse fixture and has helped them reclaim the top spot.
Across their last six matches in all competitions, they have recorded four wins, one draw and one defeat, including league wins over Lille, Auxerre, Strasbourg and Marseille, plus a Champions League draw with Newcastle and a narrow loss away to Sporting.
Predicted lineups
Rennes: Samba; Seidu, Rouault, Brassier; Nordin, Camara, Rongier, Merlin, Tamari; Lepaul, Embolo
PSG: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola
How to watch Rennes vs PSG?
UK-based fans can stream the match via Amazon Prime Video UK’s Ligue 1 coverage.
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