Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Ligue 1 match.
On Friday, Matvey Safonov could make his third consecutive start for Paris Saint-Germain. The Russian goalkeeper for the Parisian side is unlikely to face much work at home against Rennes – their opponents are struggling with several key absences, and the versatile lineup allows Paris Saint-Germain to field their strongest team.
Paris Saint-Germain
Last Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain ended a five-match winning streak, drawing 1:1 with Stade de Reims. They are now level on points with Olympique de Marseille and AS Monaco (all with 13 points), but lead the table due to superior stats. In terms of xG, PSG boast a significant advantage over their competitors (15.90 vs Monaco's 11.52, who are in second place). Outstanding wingers Ousmane Dembélé (4+2) and Bradley Barcola (4+0) have a chance to become the top scorers of the tournament.
Rennes
Gradually progressing, Rennes also have a standout player in Ludovic Blas (2+2 in the league), but the midfielder lacks quality support. It is likely that key players João Filipe “Jota” (forward) and Alidu Seidu (main defender) will be unavailable in the upcoming round, not to mention the long-term absentees Doğan Alemdar and André Gomes. In their last match at home against RC Lens (1:1), the team failed to capitalise on their advantage (1.37 vs 0.88 in xG), and they won’t find many opportunities against the French league leaders.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Rennes Prediction
Last season, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Rennes twice in three encounters (3:1, 1:1, and 1:0). The Parisian side has the strength to handle a team still finding their form – their stars will likely decide the outcome of the match.
