Marseille vs Rennes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2022-09-17 13:00.
It was a busy summer for Marseille who spent close to £70million improving their squad, but that outlay already looks to be paying dividends after an unbeaten league start which has seen them accumulate 19 points (W6, D1), representing their best-ever start to a Ligue 1 campaign! That record-breaking start includes a current run of five-straight league wins, an ongoing streak which only Real Madrid can rival across Europe’s top five leagues!
A 1-0 Champions League defeat to Frankfurt in midweek took some of the shine off Marseille's impressive domestic start, though coach Igor Tudor tried to play down the defeat, citing fatigue as a big cause for their set-back. Marseille now aim to rediscover their lethal touch in front of goal this week against a Rennes side who they’ve scored against in each of their last eight home H2Hs (W4, D2, L2), although legendary former OM goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, now in between the sticks for Rennes, might have extra incentive to stop that run here.
Rennes have made their own solid start to the campaign, tasting defeat just once in their last six Ligue 1 fixtures (W3, D2). They enjoyed a better result than their hosts in European action in midweek too, drawing 2-2 with Fenerbahce, a fourth game in their last five competitive outings in which Rennes scored at least two goals.
Rather than scoring goals, it’s been keeping them out that’s been the biggest issue for Bruno Génésio’s side. Rennes’ one and only league clean sheet this season came in last week’s 5-0 win over Auxerre, and they currently boast the unwanted title of being the Ligue 1 team with the most away games without a clean sheet in 2022 (13 matches – 21 goals conceded).
Players to watch: Marseille’s Alexis Sánchez is aiming to score in three successive league games for the first time since November 2017. Meanwhile, Rennes Martin Terrier has three goal contributions across his last two competitive appearances (G2, A1) and secured a brace of first-half assists when these two sides last met.
Hot stat: No Ligue 1 side has conceded fewer first half goals than Rennes and Marseille (one).