Sunderland vs Rennes – News and Probable Lineups

This Saturday, two clubs that might meet in the Europa League during the 2026-27 season will finalize their pre-season efforts as Premier League team Sunderland hosts Ligue 1 side Rennes at the Stadium of Light.

Pleased with recent form, the Black Cats come into this fixture having won their last two matches, including a 2-0 victory over Lens last weekend. In contrast, Rennes suffered a 4-2 loss to Brentford in their most recent outing.

Match overview

Following an impressive debut season in the Premier League, expectations are high for Sunderland, who will compete in Europe this upcoming campaign aiming to build upon their seventh-place finish in the 2025-26 season.

Having finished as the fourth-best team defensively in the previous Premier League season with just 48 goals conceded, Sunderland has yet to surrender a goal in their two pre-season matches thus far this month.

Regis Le Bris, as a manager, boasts a perfect record against Rennes, winning all four of his Ligue 1 encounters with them during his time in charge at Lorient.

A native of Brittany, Le Bris is well-acquainted with Stade Rennais, having previously worked there as an academy coach and growing up in Pont-L’Abbe, which is roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Rennes.

Securing a win this Saturday would mean Sunderland ends their pre-season campaign with an unblemished record at home in England, following a 5-1 victory against York City in Huntington mid-July.

This match could also mark the end of a three-match winless streak for them in pre-season fixtures at the Stadium of Light, their last triumph occurring against Hull City in July 2021 (2-1).

Stade Rennais also enjoyed a strong 2025-26 season, ending up sixth in Ligue 1.

Franck Haise has made significant strides with this team, pulling them out of mediocrity and orchestrating a remarkable turnaround towards the end of the last Ligue 1 season.

He has previously only managed one competitive game in England, during which Lens faced a heavy 6-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the 2023-24 Champions League group stage.

Defensively, Stade Rennais still has room for growth, having conceded a total of seven goals across their last two pre-season matches, matching the number they allowed in the last three fixtures of the 2025-26 Ligue 1 season.

A victory for Rennes would mark their first in the pre-season against a Premier League side since they beat Nottingham Forest 5-0 in August 2023 in Burton Upon Trent.

After scoring the first goal, Rennes have successfully won their last two pre-season matches, but they were defeated in their opening pre-season match under similar circumstances, losing 2-1 to Caen.

Team News

As Sunderland prepares for this conclusive pre-season match, it seems unlikely that Omar Alderete or Nordi Mukiele will take part, as Le Bris has noted that both players are dealing with minor injuries, while Romaine Mundle and Simon Adingra are also doubtful due to fitness concerns.

In the last win against Lens, Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor found the net, with Robin Roefs achieving a clean sheet in goal.

Charlie Cresswell is eager to make his pre-season debut after joining Rennes from Toulouse earlier in August.

In their recent defeat, Sebastian Szymanski and Valentin Rongier managed to score, while Esteban Lepaul, who was the top scorer in Ligue 1 last season, seeks to add to the six goals he has netted so far in pre-season.

Sunderland probable starting XI:

Roefs; Meunier, Ballard, O’Nien, Reinildo; Xhaka, Diarra; Hume, Le Fee, Angulo; Brobbey

Rennes probable starting XI:

Samba; Frankowski, Boudlal, Cresswell, Merlin; Rongier; Al-Taamari, Szymanski, Thomasson, Soumare; Lepaul

Le Bris may take a cautious approach in this unimportant match, possibly opting for a more defensive strategy to avoid risking further injuries, which may allow a strong attacking side like Rennes to capitalize.