Rennes vs Lorient prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-03-02 16:05.
Rennes’ unstoppable run up the Ligue 1 table faced its toughest test when they recently took on league leaders PSG. After holding on to a slender 1-0 lead for more than one hour, Rennes conceded a stoppage time penalty and succumbed to a heartbreaking 1-1 draw. That may have slightly stalled their assault on the top-six, but it seems only a matter of time before Julien Stéphan’s men break into the European places.
No Ligue 1 side had actually secured more points in 2024 after the end of the previous round than the Red and Blacks with 16. After a victorious trip to Le Puy-en-Velay in midweek Coupe de France action, they should be keen to get back to Roazhon Park and defend their 100% winning record at home in all competitions this calendar year (W5).
Upcoming opponents Lorient will be next to try and derail Rennes, and although they’re currently an occupant of the relegation zone, they may believe in themselves given they’ve won the last three H2Hs. Manager Régis Le Bris oversaw all three of those victories, where he no doubt used his time as a player and an academy coach at Rennes to his advantage.
He must now mastermind a path to safety for his Lorient side, who gave themselves a great look at exiting the dreaded bottom-three after a hat trick of wins recently, but a 1-0 loss to Nantes last round kept them pinned to 16th place. Two of those recent wins impressively came on the road, equalling their tally of victories from their prior 22 away top-flight matches (W2, D8, L12).
Players to watch: Rennes’ Ludovic Blas will look to score against Lorient for a third successive H2H, and he should be feeling confident considering seven of his last nine goals have come at home. Lorient will be hoping Mohamed Bamba’s fine start to life at the club continues. He has scored in four of his five matches, including three that served as the match opener.
Hot stat: There was exactly one first-half goal scored in eight of Rennes’ last 12 matches.