Sabasports Match Preview
French Ligue 1: Rennes vs Nantes
Kickoff Time: 2025-04-19 02:45 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Rennes achieved a resounding 5-1 victory away against Le Havre in their last match, which greatly boosted their morale. Previously mired in the relegation zone, Rennes had no choice but to dismiss Jorge Luis Sampaoli; this marked their second managerial change of the season. The new manager from Senegal, Habib Beye, took the helm. Beye’s tactical approach is based on a three-man defense and long-ball counterattacks. Overall, Rennes has indeed shown some improvement. Currently, Rennes primarily adopts a 3-5-2 formation, with most of their attacks being executed through long balls. This tactic has proven effective against mid-to-low table teams, but it struggles against higher-ranked opponents.
Due to the postponement of their match against Paris Saint-Germain, Nantes did not have a league match last week, and they won 2-1 away against Nice in the previous round. Nantes currently holds only a three-point lead over the relegation zone, and the team still faces significant pressure to avoid relegation. Nantes mainly uses a 4-3-3 formation, with a defensive counterattacking style and set-pieces as one of their important scoring methods. However, Nantes lacks midfield control, which often leaves them in a passive situation against stronger opponents. Moreover, Nantes is typical weak on the road, with only three wins, five draws, and seven losses in 15 away matches in the league, giving them an away win rate of just 20%.
In terms of overall strength, Rennes is always slightly superior to Nantes. Additionally, Rennes can be considered Nantes’ nemesis. In their last 10 encounters, Rennes has a dominant record of seven wins, one draw, and two losses. Considering all factors, Rennes, with the advantage of playing at home and a superior head-to-head record, is undoubtedly worth backing in this match.
Rennes’ Last 5 Games: WLWLL
25-04-13 Le Havre 1-5 Rennes
25-04-06 Rennes 0-1 Auxerre
25-04-30 Angers 0-3 Rennes
25-03-16 Lens 1-0 Rennes
25-03-09 Rennes 1-4 Paris Saint-Germain
Nantes’ Last 5 Games: WLWLL
25-04-05 Nice 1-2 Nantes
25-04-11 Le Havre 3-2 Nantes
25-04-06 Nantes 1-0 Lille
25-04-04 Nantes 0-1 Strasbourg
25-03-16 Marseille 2-0 Nantes
Head To Head Record:
24-12-09 Nantes 1-0 Rennes
24-04-20 Nantes 0-3 Rennes
23-10-02 Rennes 3-1 Nantes
23-02-26 Nantes 0-1 Rennes
22-10-09 Rennes 3-0 Nantes
Prediction: Rennes to Win