Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Ligue 1 match.
The clubs are separated by just one point and two places in the table, yet bookmakers favour Rennes, who are playing away. Is Rennes's 11th place position merely by chance? Should they be backed?
Rennes
For a club that finished last season in 10th place, being a position down isn’t that unusual. A couple of rounds ago, Rennes were even lower. They are now, however, emerging from a minor slump of four games without a win. After all, who wouldn't struggle against Paris Saint-Germain (1:3) and then AS Monaco (1:2)? They are, after all, the top two teams in France. In the last round, they secured a modest win over the modest Le Havre (1:0). Auxerre aren’t far removed from the Normans; just a couple of games ago, they were table neighbours.
Auxerre
True, but Le Havre remain in the relegation zone, while Auxerre have climbed out of it. This is thanks to two wins, a draw, and just one loss in the recent rounds. It's worth noting that their previous four-match losing streak is explainable. Three of those were away games, and they only lost at home to AS Monaco, who sit right behind Paris Saint-Germain. About a third of the teams in Ligue 1 can pick up points on the road, and they occupy the top seven. Rennes are no better than Auxerre: also one point from five away encounters. However, at home, they won their other three matches, including a thumping victory over Champions League participant Stade Brestois (3:0).
Rennes vs Auxerre Prediction
The days when Auxerre regularly competed in Ligue 1 ended with the departure of the legendary Guy Roux. Returning for a year after a decade-long absence, they suffered a heavy loss to Rennes (0:5) in the 2022/23 season, but managed a goalless draw at home. We believe that playing at home Auxerre could win on Sunday.
