Toulouse and Rennes will lock horns at the Stadium Municipal for a Ligue 1 fixture that has very little riding on it on Saturday evening.
Both clubs are safe in mid-table, with a growing gap between themselves and the top half, and recent performances can suggest that they know their seasons are done.
Match preview
While not yet being mathematically safe, Toulouse can ensure that if they win here, or Le Havre lose this weekend, with the gap to the relegation playoff spot currently sitting at seven points.
However, wins have been a rare occurrence for Carles Martinez‘s men in recent weeks, with Toulouse taking just two points from their last seven matches.
One of those came at Nantes last weekend, despite the odds being stacked against them after Noah Edjouma‘s first-half red card, but Toulouse were able to frustrate the Canaries and hold them to a 0-0 draw.
Returning to familiar surroundings is unlikely going to have much of an impact on improving their fortunes though, because they have also taken just two points from their last seven matches at the Municipal too.
This is the worst run Toulouse have endured since they were relegated in the halted 2019-20 campaign, however there are no such concerns this time around, as Martinez has steered the club to a third-successive mid-table finish since returning to Ligue 1.
Rennes will be higher on confidence, but they have lost their last two games against Toulouse, and are in threat of losing three in succession for just the third time in their history.
The visitors have stormed ahead of TFC in the table, despite being in deep relegation trouble at the end of January, but the appointment of Habib Beye, and an array of signings in the winter window, helped alleviate those fears quickly.
Rennes are now mathematically safe despite losing 4-1 at Lyon last weekend, but that defeat does mean a top-half finish now looks highly unlikely, and the club are looking at first finish outside the top 10 in Ligue 1 for 11 years.
This fixture should suit Beye’s side though, because they have been flat-track bullies since his arrival at the club, averaging 2.6 points-per-game against bottom-half sides, but they have taken just three in five matches against clubs in the top nine.
One fascinating stat about Rennes’ season is that they have drawn just two of their 31 matches this season, the lowest amount seen in a Ligue 1 season for almost a decade, and the fewest of any team in Europe’s top-10 leagues.
Team News
Mark McKenzie is suspended for Toulouse after being sent off in the defeat against Reims, and he will be joined on the sidelines by Edjouma, who was given his marching orders in the first half against Nantes a week ago.
The hosts are down to the barebones in defence, with Rasmus Nicolaisen and Umit Akdag also dealing with injuries at present, so teenager Jaydee Canvot could start again here.
Further forward, as well as being without Edjouma, Toulouse will be missing Zakaria Aboukhlal and Niklas Schmidt, who have both struggled with injury throughout the campaign.
Rennes have just two absentees and they both come in defence, with Alidu Seidu and Mikayil Faye out for the long term.
After another goal off the bench last weekend, 17-year-old Mohamed Kader Meite has more than done enough to earn a start, and Beye could grant him that with little on the line in this fixture.
The influential Ludovic Blas should also return to the XI after Beye eased him back into first-team action with two substitute appearances in recent weeks.
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Sidibe, Cresswell, Canvot; Donnum, Casseres, Sierro, Suazo; Gboho, Magri, King
Rennes possible starting lineup:
Samba; Assignon, Rouault, Brassier, Truffert; Matusiwa, Cisse, Fofana; Blas, Kalimuendo, Meite
We say: Toulouse 0-1 Rennes
Rennes do not do draws, with just two of their 31 games this season ending level, and none since Beye arrived in January, so it is often all or nothing with the visitors.
Toulouse have had their feet up for quite a few weeks now, and it is tough to see them turning on the style in a dead rubber fixture like this, so limping to a narrow defeat looks likely.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
