Ligue 1 | Gameweek 17

Jan 11, 2025 at 8.05pm UK

Roazhon Park

Rennes vs Marseille

Match Preview

Victory on the road has been a rare sight for Rennes this season, with their only success on the road coming in a 4-1 win over Bordeaux in the French Cup on December 30, and while that result briefly hinted at brighter days ahead, it proved to be a false dawn as the defeat at Nice dragged them back to familiar struggles.

It was Jorge Sampaoli's third consecutive away defeat in the top flight since taking over on November 11 following the sacking of Julien Stephan, and the Argentine has yet to pick up a point in Ligue 1 - although his fortunes at Roazhon have been more encouraging.

Since arriving at Rennes, Sampaoli has guided his side to two league victories on home soil - a ruthless 5-0 thrashing of Saint-Etienne followed by a comfortable 2-0 win over Angers - and the Red and Black now boast the fifth-best record in the division with five wins, one draw and just two defeats.

Their attacking prowess has also been on display in front of their own fans, with Rennes sitting fourth in the league in goals scored at home (16), while conceding the fewest in the league (5), and they will be looking to build on that resilience when they face a familiar foe in Marseille this weekend.

This will be the 115th top-flight meeting between the two sides - a game Rennes have played more than any other - and while Marseille have historically held the upper hand, Les Rennais claimed a 2-0 victory in the last meeting and will be looking to secure back-to-back wins over their old rivals for the first time since achieving the feat between March and September 2016.

However, the task remains daunting for the hosts given Marseille's form away from home this season, with the Olympique de Marseille boasting the best away record in Ligue 1 with seven wins and just one defeat from eight outings.

Roberto De Zerbi's men go into the clash full of confidence after starting the new year in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 thrashing of Le Havre at the Stade Velodrome last weekend.

That win left Marseille second in the standings with 33 points from 16 games, but seven adrift of leaders Paris Saint-Germain and with little margin for error if they are to claim a first league title in 15 years.

Having won each of their last five away games in all competitions, including four in the top-flight, Les Olympiens will look to maintain their perfect away record this weekend as they look to pick up another vital three points to keep pace at the top.

Their dominance on the road is no coincidence, with Marseille's attacking prowess setting them apart from the rest of the league, having scored 23 goals in their eight away games - an average of almost three per outing - which is by far the best record in the division.

However, their formidable attack will be put to the test this weekend against the league's best home defence, although the visitors can take confidence from their overall success in this fixture, having won 48 times in the 114 previous meetings.

Despite inflicting the second-most defeats on Rennes in Ligue 1 - only Monaco can match that record - recent trips to the Roazhon have been far from easy, with Marseille picking up just one win in their last four visits, leaving them with a huge mountain to climb.

Recent Performance

Rennes Ligue 1 form:LLWLWL

Rennes form (all competitions):LWLWWL

Marseille Ligue 1 form:LWWWDW

Marseille form (all competitions):WWWDWW

Team News

France international goalkeeper Brice Samba, who joined Rennes from Lens earlier this week, could make the matchday squad, although veteran Steve Mandanda is expected to retain his place between the sticks against Marseille.

On the injury front, Alidu Seidu (ACL) remains sidelined until the end of the season, while Henrik Meister is out through illness.

Marseille made their first signing of the winter window with the arrival of Luiz Felipe on a free transfer in midweek, but Saturday's clash could come too soon for the defender.

The visitors will be without Geoffrey Kondogbia (calf), Faris Moumbagna (knee) and Ruben Blanco (knee), all of whom are expected to return later this month, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will miss a second successive game as he recovers from illness.

Mason Greenwood, the league's second top scorer with 10 goals, will be looking to get back on the scoresheet after failing to find the net in his last two league outings.

Possible starting lineup

Rennes possible starting lineup:

Mandanda; Hateboer, Ostigard, Faye; Truffert, Matusiwa, James, Assignon; Blas, Gronbaek, Kalimuendo

Marseille possible starting lineup:

Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Cornelius; Henrique, Rongier, Nadir, Merlin; Rabiot, Greenwood; Maupay