The Matchday 30 clash in Ligue 1 between Rennes and Nantes will take place on April 18 at Roazhon Park. Rennes vs. Nantes: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Rennes
The club thrashed Le Havre 5-1 in the last round, extending their uncompromising run in the tournament to 21 matches (9 wins, 12 losses). Interestingly, Rennes secured their first victory in the current championship after conceding. Prior to this, the team had 10 clean-sheet wins in this season's Ligue 1. Additionally, this was the second time Rennes scored five goals in the current championship. Thanks to the victory in the last round, Rennes improved their standings, climbing to 11th place in Ligue 1 and increasing the gap from the relegation zone to 8 points.
- One team failed to score in 8 of the last 10 meetings in the French championship.
- Rennes has not scored more than once in their last 7 home matches in Ligue 1.
- The club lost 5 of their last 7 home games in this tournament (2 wins).
Predicted lineup for Rennes (3-4-3)
Brice Samba – Jeremy Jacquet, Anthony Rouault, Lilian Brassier – Lorenz Assignon, Jaouen Hadjam, Azor Matusiwa, Adrien Truffert – Arnaud Kalimuendo, Seko Fofana, Moussa Al-Tamari.
Nantes
The team defeated Nice 2-1 in their previous league match. This victory marked Nantes' 7th win in the current season (9 draws, 12 losses). However, it did not affect the club's league position, as they remained 13th in Ligue 1, with a 3-point cushion from the relegation zone. It's important to note that the team has been defensively unreliable in away matches this season, conceding in 14 consecutive games. Additionally, Nantes managed to defeat their upcoming opponent 1-0 in the first round.
- The club won with a (+1.5) handicap in 10 of their last 13 Ligue 1 matches.
- Nantes scored in 13 of their last 16 league matches.
- Both teams scored in 10 of Nantes' last 11 away games in the top French league.
Predicted lineup for Nantes (4-3-3)
Anthony Lopes – Nicolas Cozza, Nicolas Pallois, Saidu Sow, Kelvin Amian – Sorba Thomas, Douglas Augusto, Louis Leroux – Matthis Abline, Meschak Elia, Moses Simon.
Referee
Abdellatif Keradji (France)
Matches – 14 (Ligue 1, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 47;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.4;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 27;
Penalties – 29%.
Match Prediction: Rennes vs. Nantes
The hosts enter the Breton derby after a commanding victory over Le Havre. Rennes' last two wins in the French championship were also emphatic: they scored three against Angers and netted four past Montpellier, keeping clean sheets in both instances. Although Habib Beye's team has distanced themselves from the relegation zone thanks to their recent win, they are not yet safe, with only a 5-point lead over Nantes.
Therefore, Rennes is unlikely to rest on their laurels and will aim to outplay their principled opponent, who they are also competing with to retain their place in Ligue 1. The hosts will also seek to avenge their first-round loss. I expect Rennes to be active in attack, and I doubt the visitors' shaky defense will hold firm. Nantes has conceded in 14 consecutive away games in Ligue 1, and in 3 of their last 4 matches in this stretch, they have conceded at least twice.
Moreover, in the last two home league encounters against Nantes, the hosts scored exactly three goals. Therefore, my prediction is Rennes Individual Total Over 1.5.
