Rennes vs Marseille Preview: Team News & Prediction
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The 2025/26 Ligue 1 campaign gets underway at Roazhon Park as Stade Rennais take on Olympique de Marseille in a potentially feisty and entertaining encounter on Friday.
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
Rennes preview: New look Rennes
Last season, Julian Stephan, now of Queens Park Rangers, was sacked in late-November, and he was replaced by former Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli, who was then sacked in mid-January, to be replaced by Habib Beye.
Beye remains in charge of a Stade Rennais side that have lost some key players this summer, such as Adrien Truffert to AFC Bournemouth. They have, though, brought in a few intriguing signings such as Valentin Rongier and Przemyslaw Frankowski.
Marseille preview: Evolution, rather than revolution
Olympique de Marseille have enjoyed their annual summer spending spree, but it isn’t necessarily a revolution this time around at Stade Velodrome, as former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi remains in charge, despite links away from the club.
Marseille have brought in quite a few new signings this summer, with English duo CJ Egan-Riley and Angel Gomes joining on frees from Burnley and Lille respectively, alongside the likes of Timothy Weah, Igor Paixao and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Rennes team news: Couple of defensive doubts
Rennes are dealing with a couple of injury doubts in defence this weekend, with Lilian Brassier a doubt alongside Alidu Seidu, who suffered an ACL injury last season.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Samba; Wooh, Rouault, Jacquet; Hateboer, Fofana, Rongier, Frankowski; Andres Gomez, Blas; Kalimuendo
Unavailable:
Questionable: Brassier (Injured), Seidu (Injured)
Marseille team news: Medina suspended
New big money signing Igor Paixao is unavailable due to injury for the opening day, whilst defender Facundo Medina is missing through suspension, too.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Rulli; Michael Amir Murillo, Egan-Riley, Leonardo Balerdi; Weah, Hojbjerg, Rabiot, Ulisses Garcia; Greenwood, Harit; Aubameyang
Unavailable: Medina (Suspended), Igor Paixao (Injured)
Questionable:
Rennes vs Marseille prediction
Rennes have developed themselves into a team that are quite intense, and they will be expected to be a lot more proactive and progressive this season, especially at home. Marseille have an abundance of attacking talent and an extremely attacking coach. These two sides have played out some thrillers in the last few years, with a bit of needle to boot. It could be a brilliant start to the Ligue 1 campaign for the neutral this week.
Rennes vs Marseille tip: Both teams to score
