Lyon vs Rennes

Lyon will look to bounce back from a nightmare week when they host mid-table Rennes in Ligue 1 on Saturday night at the Groupama Stadium.

Paulo Fonseca’s side suffered another blow after their European heartbreak, falling to a damaging defeat in the Derby Rhône-Alpes last weekend—a result that dented their Champions League ambitions.

The past week has been disastrous for Lyon, with back-to-back setbacks threatening to unravel their season. Their European dreams ended in dramatic fashion last Thursday at Old Trafford, where they conceded three late extra-time goals to lose 7-6 on aggregate to Manchester United after leading 6-4.

The emotional toll of that collapse was evident in their next match, as they slumped to a 2-1 loss against rivals Saint-Étienne. Despite pulling a goal back, Lyon couldn’t recover after going two down early in the second half. Defeat to the 17th-placed side cost them a chance to break into the top four, leaving their season at a critical juncture.

The challenges are only getting tougher on paper for Lyon as they face a rejuvenated Rennes side, a Lens team still aiming for a potential top-seven finish, and Monaco, who are firmly on track for a top-four finish.

Lyon are one of three clubs tied on 51 points just outside the top four, but they remain within reach of Lille in fourth place, trailing by only two points as the weekend begins. However, Lyon will play last out of the three teams tied on points, adding extra pressure before kick-off.

A significant improvement will be necessary compared to Lyon's performance in their previous encounter with Rennes, where they were defeated 3-0 at Roazhon Park on the opening day. However, the hosts also struggled in this fixture last season, losing 3-2 at the Groupama after being down 3-0 at halftime.

Rennes, now safe from relegation, have not slowed down. Under the guidance of Habib Beye, they are determined to finish as high as possible to make up for the disastrous first half of the season. Currently 11 points clear of the relegation zone and sitting 10th, they are still a considerable 13 points behind the European spots.