Rennes vs Brest prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-04-27 15:05.
[p]Another week heralds another derby for Rennes, who are bound to be in good spirits after ousting Nantes 3-0 last week to end a run of three straight Ligue 1 defeats. Local rivals Brest are next on the agenda, and with just four games remaining, the hosts have ground to make up to guarantee European football next term as they look to close their four-point deficit to the top-six.[/p]
[p]Interestingly, their final home match of the season is against Lens, who are among Rennes’ rivals for a top-six finish, meaning that game could effectively be a European qualification play-off. The Red and Blacks can’t afford to look that far ahead, however, as instead they must focus on what’s up next, which is a H2H they haven’t lost at home since May 1987 (W7, D3)![/p]
[p]Brest have lost momentum in their bid for Champions League qualification following defeats to Lyon (4-3) and Monaco (2-0), although continental football for the first time is still on the cards. They would then have a dilemma as UEFA will not allow them to use three of the four stands at Stade Francis-Le Blé, forcing them to either limit capacity to 5,000 or play matches elsewhere – with Rennes touted as one possibility![/p]
[p]Given the Pirates’ shocking record here, that’s unlikely to go down well with fans, but they can at least look forward to a new stadium scheduled to be ready for 2027. And in the short term, their side are pushing hard to improve on their solid recent league away form (W5, D2, L2), yet with the last two of those (W1, L1) being decided by goals after the 80th minute, few will be tempted to leave early.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Rennes’ Benjamin Bourigeaud could be responsible for more late drama as his goal against Nantes was his third in a row to come between the 75th and 85th minute. With six direct goal contributions across his last four appearances (G3, A3), Brest’s Romain Del Castillo – formerly of Rennes – is another who may strike late as his last three goals came between the 60th and 90th minute.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: The last three H2Hs (Rennes: W2, D1) produced four goalless halves out of six.[/p]