Lyon vs Rennes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2025-04-25 19:05.
[p]Lyon followed midweek European heartbreak against Manchester United with a shock 2-1 defeat at relegation-threatened St-Étienne last weekend, subsequently losing their place in Ligue 1’s top four. They now must finish in that top four to guarantee their place in the UEFA Champions League next season, but Paulo Fonseca’s side start this round of games in sixth.[/p]
[p]Sitting just two points behind fourth-placed Lille ahead of Round 31, all is not lost for Les Gones, particularly when considering that they had won seven of their nine league games prior to the loss against St-Étienne (L2). That sequence included four of assistant Jorge Marciel’s first five Ligue 1 games in charge, with manager Fonseca banned for a number of months due to his violent altercation with the referee during a game against Brest at the start of March.[/p]
[p]Rennes grabbed a last-gasp winner against Nantes last weekend, picking up their third victory in four games to move 11 points clear of the relegation places. That win all but sealed their Ligue 1 status, and their safety is likely to be mathematically confirmed this weekend regardless of how they fare at Parc Olympique Lyonnais, where they boast a healthy record of six wins in their last nine league H2Hs (L3).[/p]
[p]Manager Habib Beye can reflect fondly on a job well done, with the Red and Blacks winning seven of their 11 games since his arrival at the end of January (L4) after losing 12 of their first 19 league matches this term prior to his appointment (W5, D2). Aiming for a strong end to the season now, Beye can potentially even look forward to the one-year extension option in his contract being triggered.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Georges Mikautadze has registered seven goal involvements in his last five Ligue 1 appearances (G3, A4), and all seven have come during or after the 54th minute. Rennes captain Adrien Truffert has four goal involvements to his name against Lyon (G2, A2), his joint-most against any one opponent.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Rennes have scored first in five of their 14 league away games this season, going on to win four of those five (L1).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ben Olawumi[/i][/p]