Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain are set to take on Rennes at the Parc des Princes on Friday night, aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 season. The hosts have won four and drawn one of their opening five league fixtures, while the visitors are sat in eighth with seven points from their opening matches.
After losing their undeniable star player, Kylian Mbappe, on a free transfer to Real Madrid during the summer window, many anticipated that PSG might encounter greater challenges than usual this season. However, it has been business as usual for Luis Enrique's side, as they remain undefeated in their first six matches across all competitions this campaign.
They started the term in a particularly explosive manner, winning all of their first four outings with an aggregate score of 16-3, but their results have seen a slight decline in the last two games. The Parisians had to rely on a 90th-minute own goal from Paulo Gazzaniga to narrowly triumph 1-0 against Girona in their debut match of the 2024-25 Champions League, before dropping their first points of the season against Reims last time out.
Despite the tighter scorelines, PSG have been dominant in both affairs, significantly outscoring their opponents on expected goals, but they have lacked a cutting edge to put their chances away. In the absence of Mbappe and Goncalo Ramos, who has failed to make an appearance since coming off injured on the opening day, PSG have largely been playing without a recognised striker, resulting in a majority of their goals coming from wide areas.
Consequently, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele have combined for eight of PSG's 17 league goals, and Enrique will be looking for a greater clinical edge from his wingers in their upcoming matches to help return to the dominant scorelines they achieved earlier in the season.
As for Rennes, they come into this game having had a fair start to the term, sitting comfortably in mid-table with seven points from five outings, taking two wins and one draw. Julian Stephan's men comfortably defeated Lyon 3-0 at home on the opening to make for a brilliant start to the season, but they followed that with back-to-back defeats to Strasbourg and Reims.
Rennes bounced back with a 3-0 home victory over Montpellier and a 1-1 draw against Lens, making them one of only seven teams yet to suffer defeat at home and one of just two teams to maintain that record across three home fixtures. That does also mean are Rennes yet to pick up a single point on their travels in 2024-25, something Stephan will be hoping his side can change with a surprise result on Friday.
Injury Concerns for Both Sides
The hosts could be without up to six players for Friday's match due to various injury issues, many of which have been sustained in recent weeks. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marcos Asensio, Presnel Kimpembe and Ramos are all out for a number of weeks, while Lucas Hernandez will not make his return from a cruciate ligament injury until January.
Desire Doue is also a doubt after the 19-year-old was taken off in the 65th minute of their 1-1 draw with Reims last time out, meaning Randal Kolo Muani could start through the middle for the first time this season. The visitors are also unlikely to be with the services of no fewer than three players, with Jota, Andres Gomez and Dogan Alemdar all out due to injury.
Alidu Seidu may not feature after coming off in the 94th minute of their 1-1 draw with Lens last time out, leaving Leo Ostigard likely to come back into the starting team.
PSG's Dominance and Rennes' Home Form
PSG have been dominant in all of their fixtures this season and are likely to be in control once again on Friday, leading us to expect a comfortable win for the hosts. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
However, Rennes have shown remarkable resilience and strength at home. They've secured three consecutive home victories and are yet to concede a goal at the Roazhon Park this season. This suggests that they will be a difficult opponent for PSG, even with the Parisians' overwhelming firepower.
Key Players to Watch
For PSG, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele will be the key attacking threats. They have been in excellent form so far this season, and they will be looking to exploit Rennes' defense, which has shown some vulnerabilities. However, PSG's lack of a natural striker in the absence of Mbappe and Ramos could be a factor in the outcome of the match.
For Rennes, Amine Gouiri is a player to keep an eye on. He has started the season in fine form, and he will be looking to cause problems for PSG's backline. Rennes' solid defensive record at home, coupled with Gouiri's attacking prowess, could be a potent combination for the visitors.
A Tight Match Expected
Despite PSG's recent form and dominance, this match is likely to be a close affair. Rennes are a tough opponent at home, and they will be confident of causing an upset. PSG will need to be at their best to secure a victory. The game could also see a surprise result with Rennes potentially pushing for a draw or even a win.
The Final Whistle
This fixture promises to be an exciting and intriguing clash between two of Ligue 1's top teams. PSG's dominance at home will be put to the test by Rennes' impressive home form. The result of this encounter could have significant implications for the Ligue 1 title race. The game will be closely watched by football fans around the world.
