Preview: Stade Rennais FC - Paris Saint-Germain

Ranking update

After a convincing victory against Olympique de Marseille at the Parc des Princes (4-0) on match day 6 of Ligue 1, the Parisians were held to a draw at Clermont Foot 63 on the previous match day (0-0). Against a valiant Clermont side, the Rouge et Bleu were unable to find the back of the net. Since then, Paris Saint-Germain has 12 points in 7 matches and sit in 5^th place in the league. Luis Enrique’s men are two points away from the leader in the shape of Monaco, and have a one-point lead over LOSC and... Stade Rennais FC, the Parisians' next opponents.

For their part, Rennes have made a similar start to the season to the club from the capital. As regular as ever, the Breton club finished 4th in the league for the second consecutive season last year and compete in the European Cup this year for the 6th time in a row, the second-best streak in France after Paris Saint-Germain. At home, Rennes sit currently on the back of two consecutive victories in all competitions, against Maccabi Haifa (3-0) and FC Nantes (3-1).

Better still, SRFC are simply unbeaten at the start of the season. With 11 points, the Rouge et Noir sit in 6^th in the league, just behind Paris. Accustomed to giving big performances against the team from the capital, Stade Rennais FC will strive once more to topple the Parisians this Sunday in Brittany.

the last match

The two sides played each other for the last time on match day 28, on the 19th of last March. At the Parc des Princes, the visitors managed to keep the Rouge et Bleu at bay, it was Paris who managed to make the net bulge first, but Kylian Mbappé saw his goal disallowed for offside. The French striker was not to be deterred, and twice came back to attack Steve Mandanda’s goal to no avail. The match turned in Rennes' favor just before the break, when Karl Toko-Ekambi opened the scoring with the first Rennes shot on target of the game (0-1, 45’).

And that wasn’t all, Paris was to go through the worst imaginable scenario when they came back out of the dressing room. Following a cross from Lesley Ugochukwu, Paris boy Arnaud Kalimuendo doubled the lead for Stade Rennais FC (0-2, 48’). Their remarkable efficiency left the Parisians with no chance, despite another Marco Verratti effort which was once again saved by the opposition keeper. Despite having proved far more dangerous than their Rennes counterparts, the Rouge et Bleu lost the match.

 Opposing forces

Bruno Génésio and his team set up mostly with two styles of play: 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1. In goal, former French international Steve Mandanda has established himself as one of Rennes' key players. With only 7 goals conceded in the league this season, he sits in 4^th place for the goalkeepers in Ligue 1, conceding the fewest goals up to now, among those who played all the matches. In the central hinge, there's no doubt about the formula adopted by the Rennes staff: Arthur Theate and Warmed Omari are playing as a duo.

The Belgian international is SRFC's true defensive leader, as demonstrated by his average number of touches per game in Ligue 1: 89, compared with just 65 for the second-placed Rennes player. As for Omari, the up-and-coming French international has been unstoppable in the air, winning no fewer than 19 duels out of a possible 27, the highest total in his team's history. On the right side of defence, Lorenz Assignon is gradually taking over from his former team-mate and captain Hamari Traoré. The Rennes-taught player seems to be growing in stature with each passing game, having already proved decisive 3 times in 7 matches this season.

On the left, French international Adrien Truffert takes the reins. After suffering a serious ankle injury in March during the last meeting between Paris and Rennes, the left-footer is gradually returning to the level of play we’re accustomed to seeing. In midfield, the Rennes coach always opts for a trio composed of either a deep-lying or an advanced player. It is this element that determines whether SRFC play a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 system, depending on the opponent and the player's level of fitness.

Whatever the chosen formation, two players are always together in the Rennes midfield Nemanja Matic, in a more defensive role, is the sentinel in Bruno Génésio's 4-3-3 formation. Alongside him is the indestructible Benjamin Bourigeaud, captain and custodian of the Rennes game. For the Serbian international, acclimatisation to the French league has been rapid, as evidenced by his average of 10 recoveries per match since his arrival. This is the highest total among the SRFC squad, and he can count on his captain to provide the link with the Rouge et Noir's attack. With 31 shots on target in Ligue 1 this season, Bourigeaud is by far the most prolific Rennes attacker.

To accompany the Rennes duo, the Breton team’s coach has several options: the most plausible seems to be Enzo Le Fée, just back from injury, but Swiss international Fabian Rieder is also making a good impression in a holding midfield role. In a more advanced position, 18-year-old Désiré Doué, who has just been called up to the French U-21 squad, remains an option in the playmaker role. In attack, Amine Gouiri (17 goals and 7 assists last season) looks set to start on the left wing, while Ludovic Blas (2 goals since his arrival last July) is likely to line up on the right.

But there is one player who could shake up the Rennes hierarchy: Moroccan international Ibrahim Salah. Achraf Hakimi's national team-mate has already scored 3 goals in just 162 minutes played this season. In central midfield, Turkish international Bertug Yildirim has just made 4 starts, but the return of Arnaud Kalimuendo could prompt the Rennes staff to start the former Parisian. Another returning player is Martin Terrier, who is set to come on as a substitute, making his return to Roazhon Park nine months after his devastating knee injury.

WARREN ZAÏRE-EMERY - BENJAMIN BOURIGEAUD: the battle of the match

Both will be looking to get the better of the other in midfield. On Sunday, Warren Zaïre-Emery and Benjamin Bourigeaud will battle it out in the middle of the pitch. The Parisian midfielder (92.1% pass success rate vs. Bourigeaud's 82.4%) has been more accurate in his passing up to now, but he will be up against a league specialist in his position. Defensively, Zaïre-Emery seems to offer more security, with 16 successful tackles and 5 interceptions already this season in Ligue 1, compared with 5 successful tackles and 2 interceptions for his Rennes counterpart.

It is, however, going forward where the SRFC midfielder excels with no fewer than 21 key passes so far, compared with 5 for the young Parisian. Benjamin Bourigeaud is the 5th player in the league to have triggered the most actions leading to a shot this season. Capable of being decisive too (2 goals and 1 assist in 7 games), he will undoubtedly be the element to control this Sunday for the Parisians' midfield.