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Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Rennes and Toulouse, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
After a humiliating defeat on the road last time out, Rennes return to Roazhon Park on Sunday afternoon, when mid-table dwellers Toulouse will be the visitors for a Ligue 1 clash.
Les Rouge et Noirs are without a permanent manager following the loss at Auxerre last weekend, whereas Les Violets are aiming to extend their unbeaten run in the league to four matches.
Match preview
Following only a year in charge during his second stint at the club, Julien Stephan was relieved of his duties as Rennes head coach earlier this week in the aftermath of an awful defeat at relegation candidates Auxerre, who managed to secure a four-goal victory at Stade de I’Abbe Deschamps.
A brilliant brace from Gaetan Perrin had the hosts comfortably ahead in the contest at the half-time whistle, before second-period efforts from substitutes Lassine Sinayoko and Ado Onaiwu condemned Les Rouge et Noirs to their heaviest defeat of the 2024-25 term to date.
Although former Marseille boss Jorge Sampaoli is reportedly set to take the reins at Roazhon Park in the near future, Rennes are currently heading into Sunday’s clash managerless, with the hosts sitting 13th in the Ligue 1 standings, just a single point above 16th-placed Saint-Etienne.
Despite their struggles overall so far this term, Les Rouge et Noirs will take great confidence from their record of three wins across five home matches in 2024-25, with Les Rennais conceding just three goals at Roazhon Park – only Lens (2) have allowed fewer at their respective base.
A woeful run of one win in their last six Ligue 1 contests resulted in the club’s hierarchy wielding the managerial axe on Frenchman Stephan, but that solitary success did arrive during their most recent home fixture on October 25, when a maiden Rennes goal for Andres Gomez was enough to conquer Le Havre.
After a four-game winless streak in Ligue 1 – in which they managed to collect just a single point – Toulouse have enjoyed back-to-back victories for the first time during the 2024-25 campaign, smashing bottom side Montpellier HSC on October 27 before squeezing past Reims on home soil last Sunday.
Providing constant threat from the right flank, Zakaria Aboukhlal netted the decisive goal of the contest last time out, with the magical Moroccan scoring three goals across his last two appearances, including a clinical brace at the home of Montpellier during the final days of October.
Following the collection of maximum points from the most recent pair of top-flight matches, Toulouse have moved away from danger and into 12th place in the Ligue 1 table, two points above the relegation-playoff spot and just three points behind Lyon in Conference League qualification.
Highlighting their importance to Les Violets’ attacking unit, 24-year-old Aboukhlal and former Bournemouth marksman Joshua King have combined to score all six of their side’s goals across the last quartet of Ligue 1 fixtures, with the likes of Yann Gboho taking a backseat in recent games.
Toulouse will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to four matches against Rennes on Sunday afternoon, with Les Violets’ most recent trip to Roazhon Park resulting in maximum points back in April, when goals from Cristian Casseres Jr and Moussa Diarra inspired a comeback success on the road.
Rennes Ligue 1 form:
Toulouse Ligue 1 form:
Team News
Despite a change in management, it would not be a surprise to see Rennes make a host of changes to the side which was smashed at Auxerre, meaning that Glen Kamara and Azor Matusiwa could drop to the bench.
A change in approach from the interim boss or Stephan’s permanent successor could hand the likes of Mikayil Faye and Baptiste Santamaria the opportunity to impress from the start.
Veteran captain Steven Mandanda is set to retain his spot in between the sticks, with the 39-year-old a voice of reason during a difficult time for Les Rouge et Noirs.
Toulouse remain without the services of centre-back Rasmus Nicolaisen, who is expected back in a few weeks from an ankle injury sustained in early October.
After keeping back-to-back clean sheets, Les Violets should stick with a centre-back pairing of former Monaco star Djibril Sidibe and ex-Leeds United youngster Charlie Cresswell.
Rennes possible starting lineup:
Mandanda; Hateboer, Ostigard, Faye, Truffert; Santamaria, Gomez, Blas, Gouiri, Jota; Kalimunedo-Muinga
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Kamanzi, Sidibe, Cresswell, McKenzie; Donnum, Casseres Jr; Aboukhlal, Sierro, King; Gboho
We say: Rennes 1-2 Toulouse
Regardless of their managerial issues at present, Rennes should be relatively confident of earning a result this weekend considering their respectable record at Roazhon Park.
That being said, Aboukhlal and Toulouse come into this clash in red-hot form and should have too much to handle for Les Rouge et Noirs on Sunday afternoon.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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