Paris Saint-Germain will be aiming to continue their winning momentum when they take on Stade Rennais on Friday.
With the exciting Champions League affair against Real Madrid just around the corner, it might be imperative for Paris Saint-Germain to maintain their winning momentum, as they play hosts to Stade Rennais on Friday night.
The French giants are heading into this clash on the back of a morale-boosting 5-1 victory over defending champions LOSC Lille. The win helped them maintain their healthy 13-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 standings, as the hopes for a late title challenge from Marseille or OGC Nice continue to wane.
On Friday, Mauricio Pochettino’s men will be eyeing retribution against a Rennes side that handed them the season’s first defeat back in early October. The club from Brittany secured a comfortable 2-0 victory on that occasion, courtesy of goals from Gaetan Laborde and Flavien Tait.
Rennes have since done well under the leadership of Bruno Genesio. With 37 points collected in 23 matches, they are in contention of a potential top-three finish, although the visitors must improve from their recent record of just two wins in the last six league matches.
On a bright note, both the victories have come in the last two matches, with Les Rouge et Noir securing a comfortable 2-0 victory in their most recent affair against Brest. It could be a tall order for them to replicate that scoreline against PSG, but having beaten Les Parisiens in the reverse fixture, the visitors will be more than confident of causing yet another upset this Friday.
Team News & Tactics
Paris Saint-Germain
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— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 10, 2022
Angel Di Maria has joined Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum, Neymar and Mauro Icardi in PSG’s list of absentees after picking up a fresh knock in the win over Lille.
The Argentine’s absence leaves Julian Draxler with a golden opportunity to make an impression. His dribbling and technical prowess could be useful alongside Lionel Messi, with the two expected to operate as the wide attackers, providing supply for Kylian Mbappe in the number nine position. Xavi Simons is a potential alternative for Draxler, in case Pochettino favours a bit of youthful exuberance in the final third.
Moving into midfield, Marco Verratti has been the beating heart of PSG’s second line of press. The Italian’s ability to carry the ball forward and offer useful forward passes plays a key role in the transition. Alongside him, the hosts are likely to deploy Danilo and Leandro Paredes, who might be rewarded for his performance against Lille, with a start ahead of Ander Herrera.
Things get a bit more interesting in the defensive unit. With Ramos injured, the onus will once again be on Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe to form a solid central defensive pairing. They are set to be aided by the full-back duo of Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, although the two are going to play a more crucial role in the attacking side of things.
Indeed, their marauding runs forward, and the ability to provide width in the attack could go a long way in helping PSG stretch out the opposition backline. However, they will need to be wary of Rennes’ quality wingers, especially in counter-attacking situations.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes; Danilo, Paredes, Verratti; Messi, Mbappe, Draxler
Stade Rennais
Stade Rennais manager Bruno Genesio will have to deal with a few absentees of his own, including key attackers Flavien Tait and Jeremy Doku. Their speed and dynamism going forward will be missed, but the visitors have enough quality to make up for their potential absences in the attack.
[PROS]
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— Stade Rennais F.C. (@staderennais) February 10, 2022
Indeed, the Rennes attack should be spearheaded by the highly influential Gaetan Laborde, with additional support from Martin Terrier, who has emerged as the club’s top scorer with 11 league goals. The two should form the strike force in Rennes’ 4-4-2 that will look to minimise the spaces available in between the lines.
Having runners like Laborde and Terrier, to that end, could be useful for a Rennes side expected to play on the counter. However, it will be equally important that the chance-creators such as Kamaldeen Sulemana and Benjamin Bourigeaud provide the goods when it comes to balls in behind the backline.
As for the defensive side of things, Jonas Martin and Baptiste Santamaria remain favourites to form the double-pivot. They are set to play a vital role in breaking up PSG’s build-up and make life difficult for the likes of Marcos Verratti and Danilo Pereira in the middle of the park.
Their performance could go a long way in protecting the back-four comprising Hamari Traore, Nayef Aguerd, Warmed Omari, and Birger Meling. The Rennes defence remains likely to operate in a low block, to deny Mbappe the space to run in behind the backline while making life even more difficult for Messi.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Gomis; Traore, Omari, Aguerd, Meling; Bourigeaud, Martin, Santamaria, Sulemana; Laborde, Terrier
Key Stats
- PSG have lost five Ligue 1 games against Rennes since the beginning of the QSI era in 2011/12 (W12 D3), their joint-most defeats against an opponent in this period, along with Lyon.
- Three of PSG’s 13 home defeats in Ligue 1 since the beginning of the QSI era have been against Rennes (23%), with the club from Brittany recording the most away wins at Parc des Princes in this period.
- Following a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture – in what is still PSG’s only defeat in Ligue 1 this season so far – Rennes could become the third team to beat PSG home and away in a Ligue 1 campaign during the QSI era, after Monaco last season and Nancy in 2011/12.
- Rennes have won two of their last three Ligue 1 matches, after losing each of their previous three.
- PSG have won each of their last two Ligue 1 games by 4+ goals for the first time since October 2020. Paris are also the only team still unbeaten in Ligue 1 in 2022.
Player to Watch
Lionel Messi
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— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 10, 2022
Lionel Messi was the star figure of the PSG team when they swept aside LOSC Lille in the last game. The Argentine channelled his inner brilliance to grab a goal and an assist. Aside from his productivity, the attacker showcased his skill on the ball and was able to evade the tight marking from the opposition.
With a host of attacking players missing, PSG are hoping Messi could once again replicate his performance against Lille this Friday. With Neymar nearing his return to full fitness, it could be an ideal time for the Argentine to truly get back to his form and help PSG take Europe by storm, using his majestic qualities in the final third.
Prediction
PSG 2-0 Rennes
Paris Saint-Germain have been boosted by the return of many key players this month, including Achraf Hakimi. It has only made them much stronger, especially when it comes to their chance-creation in the final third. In addition, the league leaders have looked solid defensively, at least in recent league matches.
While Rennes are not an opposition to be taken lightly, a stronger PSG setup, coupled with a more solid defence and Messi’s return to form, means it is hard to imagine anything other than a comfortable victory for Les Parisiens this Friday.
