Team Form & Recent Performances

Rennes

• 2025/26 Record: 2W, 2D, 1L in Ligue 1 (8 points, 8th); 2024/25 Ligue 1 10th with 11W, 7D, 16L

• Latest Result: Drew 2-2 vs. FC Nantes (September 20, 2025), lost 4-1 at Paris Saint-Germain (September 14, 2025)

• Home Form: 2W, 1D, 0L in 3 Ligue 1 home games (7 goals scored, 2 conceded)

Rennes are mid-table, showing strong home form but inconsistency overall. Their 2-2 draw against Nantes, with goals from Esteban Lepaul and Ludovic Blas, demonstrated resilience despite 57% possession. The 4-1 loss at PSG exposed defensive frailties, conceding 1.6 expected goals (xG). At Roazhon Park, they average 2.33 goals scored and 0.67 conceded per game, remaining unbeaten this season. Over their last five games (2W, 2D, 1L), they’ve scored 7 goals and conceded 7. Injuries to replacement goalkeeper Dogan Alemdar (form) and Carlos Gomez (MLS return) are concerns, with Leo Ostigard back from suspension. Their 50% possession and 4.0 shots on target per game reflect a balanced approach.

Lens

• 2025/26 Record: 3W, 0D, 2L in Ligue 1 (9 points, 7th); 2024/25 Ligue 1 11th with 6W, 6D, 9L

• Latest Result: Won 3-0 vs. LOSC Lille (September 20, 2025), lost 2-0 at Paris Saint-Germain (September 14, 2025)

• Away Form: 1W, 0D, 1L in 2 Ligue 1 away games (3 goals scored, 2 conceded)

Lens are just above Rennes, showing attacking flair but defensive inconsistencies. Their 3-0 win over Lille, with goals from Wesley Saïd, Rayan Fofana, and Florian Thauvin, highlighted their potency with 38% possession. The 2-0 loss at PSG showed struggles against top sides. Away, they average 1.5 goals scored and 1.0 conceded per game. Over their last five games (3W, 0D, 2L), they’ve scored 9 goals and conceded 5. Injuries to Deiver Machado (knee) and doubts over Pierre Sage’s lineup choices persist. Their 53.6% possession and 6.0 shots on target per game indicate attacking intent.

Head-to-Head Stats & Historical Context

• Overall Record: Rennes lead with 13 wins to Lens’s 11, 11 draws in 35 matches

• Recent Meeting: March 15, 2025—Lens 1-0 Rennes (Ligue 1)

• Key Trend: Lens won 2 of the last 5 H2Hs, with 3 draws; 4 of 5 had under 2.5 goals, averaging 1.4 goals per game; Rennes’ last home win vs. Lens was in 2014

The March 2025 clash saw Lens edge Rennes 1-0 at home, with Neil El Aynaoui scoring. Recent H2Hs are low-scoring, with 2 of the last 6 under 1.5 goals and no both teams to score (BTTS) in the last two. Lens average 1.0 goal to Rennes’ 0.6 in recent H2Hs. Rennes’ home dominance (2W in 3) faces Lens’s away competitiveness (1W in 2), but the low-scoring trend suggests a tight derby.

Key Players to Watch

Rennes

• Arnaud Kalimuendo (FWD): 2 goals in Ligue 1; club’s top scorer with 11 in 2024/25. Key threat despite recent struggles

• Ludovic Blas (MID): 1 goal, 7 assists in Ligue 1. Creative force with 2 goals in his last three games

• Steve Mandanda (GK): 3 clean sheets in Ligue 1, 68% save rate. Vital against Lens’s attack

Lens

• Wesley Saïd (FWD): 2 goals in Ligue 1; scored vs. Lille. Clinical finisher

• Florian Thauvin (MID): 1 goal in Ligue 1; scored vs. Lille. Adds flair

• Brice Samba (GK): 3 clean sheets in Ligue 1, 70% save rate. Key in a hostile environment

Tactical Insights & Match Dynamics

Rennes’ 3-5-2, under Habib Beye, relies on Kalimuendo’s finishing and Blas’s creativity, with Lorenz Assignon and Azor Matusiwa in midfield, averaging 50% possession and 4.0 shots on target per game. Without Alemdar and Gomez, they’ll lean on Adrien Truffert, targeting Lens’s 1.0 goals conceded away, but their 1.6 conceded per game is a concern. Lens’s 3-4-3, led by Pierre Sage, uses Saïd’s movement and Thauvin’s flair, with Adrien Thomasson and Ruben Aguilar in midfield, averaging 53.6% possession and 6.0 shots on target. Without Machado, they’ll counter, exploiting Rennes’ 0.33 goals conceded at home. Roazhon Park’s 29,778 fans will amplify Rennes’ press. Web buzz leans toward Lens at 2.80 odds, with over 2.5 goals at 1.75, citing their attacking form and Rennes’ defensive issues.