Ligue 1 | Gameweek 24

Mar 2, 2025 at 4.15pm UK

Stade de la Mosson

Montpellier vs Rennes

Match preview

Montpellier's latest setback came in the form of a 2-0 defeat at Nice last weekend, a result that mirrored two of their previous three defeats against Lens and Strasbourg.

MHSC's only goal in that barren spell came in a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Lyon, underlining their struggles in the final third, while defensive frailties saw them concede in both halves of each game.

Jean-Louis Gasset's side have been plagued by lengthy winless streaks punctuated by fleeting victories, with back-to-back victories over Monaco and Toulouse before their latest slump being Montpellier's only successes in their last 12 Ligue 1 outings.

La Paillade's struggles are evident at both ends of the pitch, with just 21 goals scored - second lowest in the league - while their defensive woes are even more glaring, with 54 goals conceded making them the most porous side in the league.

If Gasset's men are to halt their slide and perhaps use this as a springboard for a more sustained run, they will face a daunting task against a Rennes side who have dominated this fixture in recent years, with Montpellier winning just two of their last 11 meetings and suffering eight defeats, including a 3-0 thrashing in the reverse fixture in September.

Rennes, meanwhile, allayed fears of a prolonged slump by bouncing back from defeat at Lille with a 1-0 win over Reims last weekend.

Arnaud Kalimuendo's 10th-minute penalty proved decisive for the Red and Black, who have now won three of their last four games, a revival sparked by a change of manager.

Prior to this turnaround, Les Rennais were on a five-match losing streak in all competitions, including four in Ligue 1, which led to the sacking of Jorge Sampaoli and the appointment of Habib Beye.

While the new boss will be looking to continue his promising start with another win, Rennes will also have to address their poor away form, with just one win in 10 top-flight outings and four points from those games, making them the third-worst away side in the division.

Recent Performance

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:WWLLLL

Rennes Ligue 1 form:LLWWLW

Team News

Montpellier will be without Becir Omeragic (meniscus), Modibo Sagnan (calf) and Issiaga Sylla, who remains sidelined with a groin problem.

To add to their woes, Nikola Maksimovic is out for the season with a hamstring injury, while Christopher Jullien is close to returning from an ACL problem.

Rennes welcome back goalkeeper Brice Samba, centre-back Christopher Wooh and winger Ludovic Blas from suspension.

However, Anthony Rouault, who has not featured since joining from Stuttgart in January, could remain sidelined with an ankle problem, while Alidu Seidu remains sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury.

Possible starting lineup

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Lecomte; Kouyate, Tchato, Meite, Mouanga, Sainte-Luce; Nzingoula, Fayad, Chotard; Delort, Coulibaly

Rennes possible starting lineup:

Samba; Brassier, Wooh, Brassier; Assignon, James, Cisse, Truffert; Tamari, Kalimuendo, Tamari