The Matchday 4 clash in Ligue 1 between Rennes and Lyon will take place on September 14 at Roazhon Park. Rennes vs. Lyon: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Rennes
In their debut match of the championship, the team snatched a victory over Marseille (1-0), despite playing with ten men for an hour. However, they further complicated matters in the following match by being reduced to nine men by the 11th minute against Lorient, resulting in a heavy defeat (0-4). In the third round of Ligue 1, Rennes avoided any dismissals but couldn't overcome Angers (1-1), despite having the lead at halftime. This ended their 28-match uncompromising streak in the championship (12 wins, 16 losses).
- Rennes has scored in 8 of their last 9 Ligue 1 matches.
- At least 2 goals have been scored in 8 of the team's last 9 league encounters.
- The club has conceded in 8 of their last 10 games in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Rennes (3-5-2)
Brice Samba – Anthony Rouault, Jeremy Jacquet, Lilian Brassier – Quentin Merlin, Seko Fofana, Valentin Rongier, Ludovic Blas, Przemysław Frankowski – Moussa Al-Tamari, Esteban Lepaul.
Defender Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal has completed his suspension. Midfielder Mahdi Camara continues to serve a two-match ban. Defender Christopher Wu and midfielder Fabian Rieder have left Rennes. The club has added forward Breel Embolo to their squad.
Lyon
Lyon is among the select few clubs that have yet to drop points in the current Ligue 1 season. They narrowly defeated Lens (1-0), then comfortably dispatched Metz (3-0), and in the last round secured an important victory over Marseille with a late goal (1-0). Lyon is second in the league table, trailing only PSG. The club is on a four-match winning streak in Ligue 1. It's worth noting that Lyon's coach, Paulo Fonseca, has one more match before his suspension in the French championship is partially lifted. He will soon be able to join the team in the dressing room, although he still won't have access to the touchline.
- Lyon has scored in 18 of their last 19 Ligue 1 matches.
- At least one team has failed to score in the club's last 5 league games.
- Lyon's uncompromising streak in this tournament spans 18 games (12 wins, 6 losses).
Predicted lineup for Lyon (4-2-3-1)
Remy Deschamps – Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Clinton Mata, Moussa Niakate, Abner – Tyler Morton, Tanner Tessmann – Malik Fofana, Hales Mera, Adam Karabec – Corentin Tolisso.
Key forward Georges Mikautadze has left the club, while Lyon has signed forward Martin Satriano.
Referee
Ruddy Buquet (France)
Matches – 18 (Ligue 1, 2023/24, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 62;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.4;
Red cards shown – 8;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 22%.
Rennes vs. Lyon: Match Prediction
Rennes doesn't look as successful in attack as last season, where they scored a total of 51 goals over 34 Ligue 1 rounds. In the current championship, the club has scored only 2 goals in 3 matches, a record only worse than Nantes (1). However, the defense has only faltered in the match against Lorient with two early dismissals. It's rare to see truly spectacular football from Rennes. In 6 of their last 8 home games in Ligue 1, no more than 2 goals have been scored.
Lyon, in general, is more focused on results rather than flashy play. They are currently the only club to have kept a clean sheet in all their first 3 Ligue 1 games. In fact, their clean sheet streak in the championship spans 4 matches. Lyon is also strong upfront, but after losing key attacking players, they are not performing at the same high level. Therefore, it's not surprising that in Lyon's last 6 Ligue 1 matches, we've seen a maximum of 3 goals. Notably, no more than 3 goals have been scored in 14 of the last 18 head-to-head meetings at Rennes in Ligue 1.
The teams are likely to play a tight match, unlikely to deliver a goal-fest. Prediction – Total under 3