Rennes vs PSG – News and Probable Lineups

Without a head coach, Rennes faces a significant challenge as they aim to stop their decline, hosting league leaders Paris Saint-Germain at Roazhon Park for the first match of the 22nd round in Ligue 1.

The Red and Blacks parted ways with Habib Beye on Monday after a string of disappointing performances, the latest being a 3–1 loss to Lens over the weekend. Meanwhile, Les Parisiens head into this clash after thrashing Marseille 5–0 in Sunday’s Le Classique.

Match overview

With rumors of unrest in the dressing room and a poor run of form, it was only a matter of time before Rennes made a coaching change. Beye was let go after failing to secure a win in his last five matches across competitions (D1, L4), which included three defeats in a four-match league winless streak.

Last weekend’s defeat at Lens saw the Red and Blacks take an early lead through Esteban Lepaul; however, they returned from Stade Bollaert-Delelis with nothing despite having a numerical advantage for most of the second half.

Franck Haise is considered the frontrunner to take over, but until any confirmation is given, Sebastien Tambouret is likely to act as caretaker manager, with the aim of stabilizing the team’s faltering challenge for European competition.

Currently, Rennes occupies sixth place in the Ligue 1 standings, trailing fifth-placed Lille by two points and eight points behind the top four. They also risk dropping out of European positions, holding only a one-point margin over seventh-placed Strasbourg, making a positive outcome on Friday vital.

The Red and Blacks might find some solace in having lost just once in their last six home fixtures across all competitions (W4, L1), though that sole defeat came in their latest home game. This leaves them with 18 points out of a possible 30 at Roazhon Park in the league this season.

In contrast, PSG is enjoying a sensational spell, winning their last seven matches in the top flight — a streak that commenced with a 5–0 demolition of Rennes in the earlier fixture, marking their fourth consecutive win in this matchup.

Last weekend’s decisive victory in the Clasique featured Ousmane Dembele scoring twice in the first half, followed by a Facundo Medina own goal, a strike from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and an effort from Lee Kang-In to complete the rout.

This result enabled Les Parisiens to reclaim the top position after Lens had briefly taken the lead following their victory over Rennes just a day earlier. With the roles reversed, PSG could widen the gap at the summit to five points with a win here, depending on the fixture of the team currently in second place on Saturday.

The leaders also gained confidence from a commendable run of three straight away league victories, though each win has been by a single-goal margin — with two achieved through late goals — suggesting the matchup could remain competitive.

Nevertheless, Luis Enrique’s squad has scored two or more goals in six of their last seven Ligue 1 matches, indicating another potent attacking display could be on the horizon, especially against a team that has conceded at least three goals in each of their last three matches across competitions.

Team News

Last weekend’s defeate at Lens was particularly tough for Rennes, as they suffered the loss of two players to stretcher injuries, including Liverpool-bound defender Jeremy Jacquet, who may need shoulder surgery and could miss the rest of the season.

The other injury concern is centre-back Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, who picked up a thigh injury and is also expected to be sidelined, adding further pressure on an already stretched treatment room.

Przemysław Frankowski and Djaoui Cisse are likely to miss a third straight game due to injury, while Glen Kamara may also be unavailable for back-to-back matches, and winter signing Yassir Zabiri is yet to make an appearance due to fitness struggles.

Brice Samba, the first-choice goalkeeper, was left out of the squad for last weekend’s match after a disagreement with former coach Beye, and it remains to be seen if the 31-year-old will be reinstated.

On the other hand, PSG will be without midfielder Fabian Ruiz, who has missed the last four outings with a knee issue, and winger Quentin Ndjantou, who continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in December.

On a positive note, right-back Achraf Hakimi is expected to return following a one-match suspension, and his presence could allow Warren Zaire-Emery to move back into midfield.

Dembele’s two goals last weekend brought his Ligue 1 total to seven, tying with Bradley Barcola, and both will aim to challenge the Rennes defence, with Kvaratskhelia likely completing the attacking lineup in Enrique’s favored 4-3-3 formation.

Rennes probable starting XI:

Smarrow; Seidu, Roauault, Brasher; Nordin, Camara, Rongine, Crugged, Tamari; Flep, Embolo

Paris Saint-Germain probable starting XI:

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

The two teams come into this match with differing momentum, and PSG seems well-positioned to take advantage of Rennes’ off-field and on-pitch challenges.

The league leaders should be able to extend their lead at the top — at least for now — although the hosts may still manage to score, given that they have found the back of the net in seven of their last eight home matches.