Nantes vs Rennes Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Nantes are expected to struggle this season but their performances have been steady as the Canaries now welcome a hostile Stade Rennais side to Stade de la Beaujoire.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports Connect
Nantes preview: Steady Nantes
Having parted company with Antoine Kombouare and replaced him with Luis Castro over the summer, Nantes were still expected to struggle this season but their performances have been encouraging, despite three defeats in four matches.
They put in good performances in respective 1-0 losses against Paris Saint-Germain, Strasbourg and Nice. Against one of the smaller teams in Ligue 1, Nantes defeated Auxerre by a goal to nil before the September international break.
Rennes preview: Fiery Rennes
Stade Rennais, under the management of former Newcastle United right-back Habib Beye, returned from the September international break with a 3-1 defeat of Olympique Lyonnais at Roazhon Park in a game that required two stoppage-time strikes.
They were 1-0 down in that game until Tyler Morton’s 75th minute red card, before their late turnaround. That backed up a start to the season in which they defeated Olympique de Marseille, were hammered by Lorient and shared a draw with Angers.
Nantes team news: Coquelin a doubt
In their 1-0 loss to Nice, Francis Coquelin limped off due to injury and now the former Arsenal defensive midfielder is a doubt for this weekend, whilst Bahereba Guirassy is a confirmed absentee due to a hamstring injury.
Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Lopes; Amian, Awaziem, Tati, Cozza; Mwanga; Benhattab, Hong, Lepenant, Abline; Mostafa Mohamed
Unavailable: Guirassy (Injured)
Questionable: Coquelin (Injured)
Rennes team news: Couple of doubts
As Rennes travel to Nantes this weekend, the visitors are dealing with a couple of injury doubts involving centre-back Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal and wing-back Przemyslaw Frankowski.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Samba; Seidu, Jacquet, Rouault; Hateboer, Blas, Rongier, Cisse, Merlin; Lepaul, Embolo
Unavailable:
Questionable: Ait Boudlal (Injured), Frankowski (Injured)
Nantes vs Rennes prediction
Nantes have suffered three defeats from their opening four matches, but the Canaries’ performance level has certainly been better than the results have shown. Rennes head to Stade de la Beaujoire looking to get themselves on the front foot here, but their performances have actually been fairly underwhelming and reliant on specific circumstances within games to get themselves a victory. As a result, siding with Nantes would appear a good bet for this one.
Nantes vs Rennes tip: Double chance – Nantes to win or draw
