Rennes welcome fellow European qualification contenders Lille to Roazhon Park on Saturday evening.

Bruno Genesio's side currently occupy fifth place in the Ligue 1 standings, while Les Dogues sit only one position behind their weekend hosts.

Match preview

Rennes are currently on course to qualify for their sixth successive appearance in a UEFA-organised competition.

Genesio's side are only eight points behind the Champions League qualification positions following 11 victories throughout the campaign, with only the top-three sides in the Ligue 1 standings registering more wins than Les Rouge et Noir so far this season.

On the back of a notable 1-0 victory over current league leaders Paris Saint-Germain on January 15, with captain Hamari Traore leading by example with the match-winner shortly after the hour mark, Rennes then suffered a blow five days later when they were knocked out of the French Cup at the round of 32 stage by Marseille.

The Brittany-based side then suffered another defeat on the road back in League 1, as goals from Montassar Talbi and Theo Le Bris proved enough for Lorient to emerge as narrow winners at the Stade Yves Allainmat on January 27.

However, Rennes returned to winning ways on Wednesday evening with a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Strasbourg, down partly to a first-half brace from Amine Gouiri.

Only defending champions PSG, Marseille and Lens have registered more top-flight victories than Les Rennais this season, putting the hosts in good stride of recording another three-point haul this weekend.

Undefeated across the last seven meetings between the two sides, dating back to May 2019, Lille will fancy their chances of extending their one-sided historical head-to-head record on Saturday.

Needing a replica of their 2020-21 Ligue 1 title-winning form to stand any chance of participating on both domestic and European shores next season, Paulo Fonseca's side will make the footballing excursion to Roazhon Park in good stride in the wake of scoring the joint-fifth highest number of goals - 35 - across the division.

Lille comprehensively swept aside Troyes 5-0 in the middle of last month, before taking their place in the last 16 of the cup following a 2-0 victory over Pau.

Fonseca's side were held to a goalless draw by fellow European qualification contenders Clermont at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Wednesday evening, despite bombarding visiting shot-stopper Mory Diaw with 22 attempts on his goal throughout the contest.

Team News

Rennes manager Bruno Genesio could hand a debut to Djed Spence after the defender agreed to a season-long loan move from English Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur.

With Martin Terrier not expected to return before the end of the season and Arnaud Kalimuendo currently joining the aforementioned Terrier on the sidelines, Lyon loanee Karl Toko Ekambi will line up with Amine Gouiri and Desire Doue in the final third for the visitors at Roazhon Park.

The hosts, however, will no longer be able to call upon the services of Kamaldeen Sulemana after Southampton opened the chequebook to sign the winger for a club-record £22m fee.

After missing the match with Clermont due to a hand injury, Lille's top scorer Jonathan David is expected to miss out, with Angel Gomes again deputising for the Canadian striker.

Following goalkeeper Leo Jardim's unforeseen departure to join Vasco da Gama in his native Brazil, Lille made quick moves in the January transfer window by signing Benoit Costil on a permanent deal from fellow Ligue 1 outfit Auxerre.

However, the French international has had to so far settle for a seat on the substitutes' bench, with Lucas Chevalier set to keep hold of the Les Dogues' number one jersey for at least one more match.

Rennes possible starting lineup:
Mandanda; Spence, Rodon, Theate, Truffert; Tait, Bourigeaud, Santamaria; Doue, Ekambi, Gouiri

Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Fonte, Djalo, Ismaily, Diakite; Baleba, Gomes; Weah, Cabella, Gomes; Bayo

We say: Rennes 1-2 Lille

With both sides going head to head for a place on the shores of the continent next season, we predict Lille will continue their recent bragging rights by closing the gap to two points before the final whistle on Saturday evening.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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