Round 28 of the French Ligue 1 will feature this exciting match between first-seed Paris Saint-Germain (21-3-3) and sixth-seed Rennes (14-5-8). Check our analysis on the Ligue 1 odds series, which features our prediction and pick on the PSG-Rennes game.
After their exits in the Coupe de France and UEFA Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain will be focusing on getting the domestic title in France. Including this match, PSG will be playing 11 more games. They look to build from their 2-1 victory against Stade Brestois.
Rennes only had one win in their last four games. They were knocked out of the Europa League by Shakhtar Donetsk after a 5-4 result in the penalty shootout. They also lost 1-0 to Marseille and had a goalless draw with Auxerre. Like today's hosts, Rennes is also hoping to finish in the top four of France's top flight.
Here are the PSG-Rennes soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Ligue 1 Odds: PSG-Rennes Odds
Paris Saint-Germain: -230
Stade Rennais: +550
Draw: +360
Over 2.5 Goals: +178
Under 2.5 Goals: -146
How to Watch PSG vs. Rennes
TV: beIN Sports USA, beIN SPORTS en Español, DAZN
Stream: beIN SPORTS CONNECT, Fanatiz, fubo TV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino
Time: 12:05 PM ET / 9:05 AM PT
*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why PSG Can Beat Rennes
PSG tops France's domestic competition, winning 21 and drawing three of their 27 games in total. They have 66 points earned already with a +42 goal differential. They have the second-best home record and have never lost a game in the Parc des Princes.
Christophe Galtier's squad will be focusing the rest of their March fixtures up to June solely for their French domestic run. They were kicked off the Coupe de FrFrance in their Round of 16 battle with Olympique de Marseille. Their Champions League journey ended in the hands of Bayern Munich, scoring 3-0 on aggregate. The second-leg match against the Bavarians saw absences from Presnel Kimpembe and Neymar, which made it hard for PSG to score despite pulling four shots on target and a 55% ball possession rate. PSG are back on their home turf after a positive travel to Stade Brestois, winning 2-1.
When thinking of PSG, everyone assumes to know the dynamic trio of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. PSG’s front three have fielded 45 goals and 27 assists. Worthy of mention also is the dynamic activities on the offense by other players, such as forward Hugo Ekitike, midfielders Carlos Soler, Warren Zaire-Emery, Renato Sanches, and Danilo Pereira, and defenders Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, and Sergio Ramos. Brilliant teamwork from Paris SG has resulted in 68 goals and 49 assists across 27 games, an absurd 2.5 goals per game. In addition, statistical data like their 60.5% ball possession, 90.1% accurate passes, and 72.2% accurate long balls further prove how the Red and Blues always show offensive set pieces every game.
With the offensive tactics of PSG, it is imperative too that the team maintains its staunch foundation on the defensive end. PSG also holds up in this aspect, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma keeping 10 clean sheets in the league. The team concedes only 0.7 goals every game, thanks to brilliant defensive masterclasses from their staple back four. As a team, PSG allies 1.0 tackles, 7.7 interceptions, 9.8 clearances, and 3.2 saves per game.
Neymar and Presnel Kimpembe remain out for this game. The likes of Marquinhos, Hakimi, Messi, Ramos, and Nordi Mukiele have doubtful statuses, but most of them will start for this game. Vitinha is primed to get a start in the forward slot, while Marco Verratti will be joined by Fabian Ruiz and Zaire-Emery in the midfield.
Why Rennes Can Beat PSG
Stade Rennais has been a bright spot this season, incurring only eight losses in 27 games in Ligue 1. In the Qatar Sports Investment era, Rennes stands out among other French teams in beating PSG in Ligue 1, having done such on five occasions. Rennes will be up for a challenge this time, as their 3-5-5 road record stands as just the 12th-best mark in the league.
After ranking second in Group B of the Europa League, Rennes made a 2-1 noting on their home turf for the second leg to force a 3-3 aggregate score and a penalty shootout. However, Shakhtar Donetsk bested them 5-4 in the shootout to proceed to the next round. Rennes will be playing their third match this March. The previous two games ended with a 1-0 loss to Marseille and a goalless draw to Auxerre.
The team’s 45 goals, 29 of which came off from assists, are a testament to the team’s playmaking. Their 84.4 % passing accuracy and 60.6 %accurate long balls have translated to nine, nine, and six goals from Martin Terrier, Amine Gouiri, and Arnaud Kalimuendo. More so, Benjamin Bourigeaud and Adrien Truffert have been the playmakers for Rennes. Desire Doue, Flavien Tait, and Lovro Majer also have four goal involvements each for the team.
The Red and Blacks are also aggressive in their defense, having 16.4 tackles, 9.3 interceptions, and 14.6 clearances per game. They split against other teams on winning duels, where they are victorious on 48.7% of ground duels and 52.7% of aerial duels. Steve Mandanda even managed to squeak into the top 10 among goalkeepers, with eight clean sheets to his name.
Bruno Genesio and his coaching staff will likely not avail of the services of Terrier, Lorenz Assignon, and Jeremy Doku. Rennes’ victory here will be hard fought, yet securing the three points will likely maintain their spot in the top four. Rennes has a chance of securing the league double against the hosts after securing a 1-0 victory last January.
Final PSG-Rennes Prediction & Pick
This will be an exciting game yet again. PSG has surely learned from their mistakes in their last outing with today's visitors. Back the hosts to maintain an unbeaten record at home. Rennes is sure to squeak a goal at least, but this game will be high-scoring.
Final PSG-Rennes Prediction & Pick: Paris Saint-Germain (-230), Over 2.5 goals (-178)
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