The French Ligue 1 continues this weekend with the Round 14 matches, and in this preview, we would like to take a closer look at two games set for Saturday, November 25th, 2017, when Rennes meets Nantes at Roazhon Park, while Caen welcomes Bordeaux at Stade Michel d’Ornano.
Down below you’ll find some interesting tips along with our betting predictions, so don’t waste your time and join the action here on GetMoreSports.
RENNES vs. NANTES
3-Way: 1: Rennes +159; X: +219 Draw; 2: Nantes +246 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Rennes -143; Nantes +136
Total +2: Over +104; Under -109
RENNES
The Red and Blacks have changed the manager, but they haven’t impressed the fans in the previous round of the French Ligue 1 when they were beaten by Strasbourg on the road, 2:1. Sabri Lamouchi had an inglorious start at the Rennes’ helm, and he will try to get the first points against Nantes in front of the home fans on Saturday afternoon. Obviously, he will need some time to implement his ideas, so the fans need to stay patient.
After the first 13 rounds of the French Ligue 1 Rennes is in the 11th spot of the table with 15 points, a 15:17 goal difference, and a 4-3-6 record. In the last five Ligue 1 games, The Red and Blacks have recorded three wins and two losses, keeping a clean sheet on those three occasions when they were victorious. At home, they earned seven points out of six matches with 5:6 goal difference, winning two games in a row against Bordeaux and Lille. On the road, they have earned eight points with a 10:11 goal difference and a 2-2-3 record.
The 23-year old midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud, who arrived from Lens this summer, is having a wonderful season so far bagging four goals in 12 appearances, also adding two assists to his name. The 23-year old striker Firmin Mubele has scored three goals in 12 games this season, while the winger Wahbi Khazri, who’s loaned from Sunderland, has netted two times in six appearances, proving he’s going to be a great addition to the Rennes’ squad.
Besides the talented forward Ismaila Sarr (torn tendon), all other players are healthy and ready for the next game, so the manager Sabri Lamouchi can concentrate on picking his best eleven.
NANTES
The Canaries have played probably the most difficult game of the season in the previous round of the French Ligue1 when they were beaten by mighty Paris SG at Parc des Princes, 4:1. However, The Canaries haven’t disappointed their fans, as they have bravely battled the much stronger opposition, and they’ve even had a chance to level the match before Paris SG’s third goal. They will surely regret, as they allowed The Parisians to get an easy win with their own mistakes, particularly the keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu who’s horrible error led to the third goal after just after Nantes made it 2:1.
It was Nantes’ second defeat in the last five Ligue 1 matches along with two wins and one draw, and after the first 13 rounds they are sitting at the fifth place of the table with 23 points, a 12:13 goal difference and a 7-2-4 record. At home, The Canaries have earned 13 points out of six games with a 6:3 goal difference, winning four matches in the row. On the road, they have recorded three victories, one draw, and three losses with a 6:10 goal difference.
The 27-year old striker Emiliano Sala is a team’s leading scorer with three goals in 12 appearances, while the 30-year old striker Prejuce Nakoulma and a 23-year old midfielder Adrien Thomasson added two goals each. The 23-year old right back and a captain Leo Dubois is a team’s best assist-maker with three dishes in 11 appearances, also adding a goal to his name. The defensive midfielder Abdoulaye Toure is a true anchorman, and he played in all 13 Ligue 1 matches this season, scoring one goal, and making one assist.
The manager Claudio Ranieri is still without Icelandic striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (meniscus tear), while all other players are healthy and ready to go.
RENNES vs. NANTES – Match Prediction
This game will be interesting to watch as both teams are playing well recently, but it will be pretty difficult to predict the final outcome. However, I don’t expect to see a bunch of goals, so I’m backing the under in this one.
MY PICK: Under 2 Goals (-109
CAEN vs. BORDEAUX
3-Way: 1: Cane +250; X: +235 Draw; 2: Bordeaux +145 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Caen +140; Bordeaux -143
Total +2: Over -130; Under +125
CAEN
Caen drew with Nice, 1:1, in the previous round of the French Ligue 1 with a late equalizing goal from Ronny Rodelin, deep in the stoppage time. Ivan Santini managed to miss from the penalty spot in the 67th minute, so Rodelin’s acrobatic goal was a huge relief for home fans. It was Caen’s first draw of the season after six wins and six losses, and they are currently in the sixth spot of the Ligue 1 table with 19 points and 9:14 goal difference, six points behind Marseille in fourth.
Le SMC has won four times this season at home soil before a well-deserved draw against Nice, three times it was a 1:0 victory, and once against Dijon it was a 2:1 final score. They’ve lost two times – against Angers, 0:2, and Saint Etienne, 0:1. On the road, Caen has recorded two victories and four losses with a 3:9 goal difference.
The winger Ronny Rodelin and the striker Ivan Santini are leading the team with three goals each, while both players made one assist so far. The centre-back Damien Da Silva bagged one goal in 12 appearances, and two times opponents did the job for Caen’s players. Le SMC has a lot of problem in the final third, and they mostly reckon on a reliable defense.
The manager Patrice Garande is still without the winger Jeff Louis (knee injury), and the midfielder Youssef Ait Bennasser (hamstring injury), while all other players are ready for the next match.
BORDEAUX
The Girondins played a 1:1 draw with Marseille at home in the previous round of the French Ligue 1, and now they are without a win for six games in a row. Bordeaux took the lead in the 3rd minute when Nicolas De Preville exploited Zambo Anguissa’s poor pass, and The Girondins were a far better team in the first 45 minutes when they had a couple of good chances to double the lead. After the break, they decided to defend the lead, and in the dying minutes of the match, Morgan Sanson scored an equalizer to complete the drama at Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.
After the first 13 rounds of the French Ligue 1, The Girondins are laying at the ninth place of the table with 17 points, a 17:19 goal difference, and a 4-5-4 record. At home, they have earned 11 points with a 9:6 goal difference and a 3-2-1 record, while on the road they earned six points with an 8:13 goal difference and a 1-3-3 record. Bordeaux has a lot of problems at the defensive end recently, as they couldn’t keep the clean sheet in the previous seven games, while they lost three consecutive matches on the road, couldn’t find the net in previous two.
The 20-year old Brazilian winger Malcom is the team’s leading scorer with four goals in 13 appearances, while the midfielder Younousse Sankhare bagged four goals in the same number of apps this season. Malcom is also a leading assist-maker with four dishes, along with the winger Francois Kamano, who added two goals to his name so far.
The manager Jocelyn Gourvennec is still missing the 3-year old striker Gaetan Laborde due to a foot injury, while all other players are healthy and ready to go.
CAEN vs. BORDEAUX – Match Prediction
Both teams are in a poor form recently, and I expect to see a nervous match where one goal could make a difference. I think Bordeaux is a better team, but the home soil is always an advantage, so this one could be finished in a draw, even The Girondins won their last year’s clash at Caen, 4:0.
MY PICK: Draw (+235)
