Di push for Champions League berth continue for Rennes, who go welcome Nantes to Roazhon Park for Brittany on Sunday. After 30 matches, Les Rennais dey fifth for Ligue 1 table, dem blank Strasbourg 3-0 last week, while Nantes remain for relegation zone after losing by dat same margin against Paris Saint-Germain for midweek.
E feel like e dey brew for some time, and right now, di Rennes management team dey feel pretty good about di coaching change wey dem make. Since di appointment of Franck Haise, dis side don only drop points for two league fixtures, with dia only defeat under di ex-Nice boss coming at home to Lille for mid-March (2-1). Dis weekend, dem get chance to equal dia longest winning run of di current domestic campaign, claiming four straight victories on two prior occasions.
With four matches remaining, dem just dey a single point below Lyon for a place for next season Champions League phase and a point behind Lille for di qualifying portion of dat tournament. If dere be any flaw for dia game lately, e fit be at home, where dem don drop points for two of dia previous three domestic affairs. Les Rouge et Noirs don win dia last seven meetings with Nantes across all competitions, while dem go unbeaten for those previous 12 games against dem.
Dem dey put up good fight, but dia efforts no dey often rewarded, as Nantes find demsef for real danger of dropping into Ligue 2. Under veteran manager Vahid Halilhodzic, dis team get points for three of dia previous four league contests but dem no win for those last seven outings. Making am to di playoffs go be challenge for dem as dem dey trail Auxerre by five points with four matches still to play.
For dia last four top-flight affairs, dis side don find di back of di net just once, while dem don be shut out for four consecutive Ligue 1 matches away from home. Nantes fit need to win each of dia remaining league fixture to survive relegation, and dat na di only way dem fit equal dia points total from a season ago (36). Les Canaris never beat a Ligue 1 side currently for di top five, with dia only point against those teams coming at home to Rennes last September (2-2).
Due to shoulder injury, di soon-to-depart Jeremy Jacquet fit miss dis match for Rennes, Przemyslaw Frankowski dey questionable because of muscle strain, while Valentin Rongier dey eligible to return from suspension. Esteban Lepaul move into di Ligue 1 lead for goals after matchday 30 with im 17th of di campaign, while Breel Embolo and Musa Al-Taamari also net for Alsace.
Over at Nantes, Fabien Centonze dey out with cruciate ligament tear, and Remy Cabella go be doubtful with leg injury. Kelvin Almian fit also be question mark with di defender struggling to recover from groin strain sustained earlier for di season.
Rennes possible starting lineup: Samba; Seidu, Boudlal, Brassier, Merlin; Blas, Rongier, Camara, Al-Taamari; Embolo, Lepaul. Nantes possible starting lineup: Lopes; Guilbert, Awaziem, Cozza, Machado; Leroux; Tabibou, Sissoko, Lepenant, Abline; Mohamed.
Nantes no don play as poorly as dia recent form suggest, but dem must dey feel deflated say dem get little to show for am. Rennes, on di other hand, dey thrive and don find di consistency dem struggle to acquire for di early portion of di campaign and we trust say dem go maintain dat on Sunday.
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