Preview: Bordeaux vs. Rennes - prediction, team news, lineups

Bordeaux will endeavour to claim just their second win of the 2021-22 Ligue 1 season when they welcome Rennes to the Matmut Atlantique for Sunday lunchtime's battle.

Vladimir Petkovic's men played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Montpellier HSC last time out, while the visitors put six unanswered goals past Clermont.

Match preview

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It was truly a day for spectacular strikes at the Stade de la Mosson in gameweek seven, with Bordeaux pair Hwang Ui-jo and Jean Onana firing home two long-range thunderbolts after Valere Germain's opener to put Les Girondins 2-1 up against Montpellier at half time.

However, Montpellier appeared to be heading for victory when Germain's second of the game preceded a Florent Mollet effort 20 minutes from time, but Bordeaux attacker Samuel Kalu came off the bench to rescue a point for Petkovic's men in the dying embers.

Les Girondins were ultimately unable to secure back-to-back wins following their first triumph of the season over Saint-Etienne in gameweek six, but four points from their last two games can be viewed in a positive light as they seek to increase the distance between themselves and the bottom three.

Bordeaux's midweek point did manage to see them climb above Troyes into 16th place - two clear of the bottom three - but their defensive concerns are still very much alive, as 16 goals conceded is the joint-highest in the division alongside newly-promoted Clermont.

Furthermore, Petkovic's side have only taken one point from a possible nine on home turf so far this season and have shipped at least two goals in six of their seven league games so far - not exactly a good omen before the visit of a side who came out on the right side of a goal-fest in midweek.

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Kamaldeen Sulemana's head-over-heels celebration represented how all home supporters at the Roazhon Park must have been feeling on Wednesday evening, as the 19-year-old scored two of his side's six goals against Clermont in a 6-0 drubbing.

Martin Terrier, Flavien Tait, Jonas Martin and Gaetan Laborde also helped themselves to goals over their formerly resilient visitors, and that result was the perfect tonic for Bruno Genesio, whose side had failed to win in four across all competitions before gameweek seven.

Les Rouge et Noir had suffered three consecutive 2-0 defeats to Angers, Reims and Marseille prior to the thrashing of Clermont, but that midweek win has helped propel them to 12th in the rankings as they aim to rediscover their early-season form.

Genesio must also take Thursday's Europa Conference League trip to Vitesse into account - as well as the visit of Paris Saint-Germain a few days later - but he will be wary of his side's record on the road in Ligue 1, as Rennes have lost four of their last five league games away from home.

Bordeaux did manage to claim a pair of 1-0 victories over Rennes in the 2020-21 season, and Les Rouges et Noir have won just four of their last 19 meetings with this weekend's hosts in all competitions, although all of those triumphs have come since 2017.

Team News

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Bordeaux's new arrival Alberth Elis may be ready to feature this weekend, but Laurent Koscielny is expected to remain out with an ankle issue alongside fellow defender and cruciate ligament victim Paul Baysse.

Issouf Sissokho was restricted to indoor work before the trip to Montpellier and may not make this game either, but Josh Maja has a chance of overcoming a back problem in time to increase Petkovic's attacking options.

Javairo Dilrosun was hauled off for Kalu at half time in midweek and could cede his place to the Nigerian here, while Onana will hope to hold his place in midfield over Fransergio following his goal of the season contender last time out.

Meanwhile, Rennes attacker Jeremy Doku is expected to remain out for at least another two weeks owing to his hamstring problem, while playmaker Lovro Majer is a major doubt with a hip problem.

The visitors have no fresh concerns to deal with but could be tempted into some alterations regardless, starting with Loic Bade and Hamari Traore earning defensive recalls as Warmed Omari and Lorenz Assignon drop out.

Baptiste Santamaria and Serhou Guirassy also dropped down to the bench for the midweek win over Clermont, but both men will not displace Martin and Terrier easily following their goals on Tuesday.

Bordeaux possible starting lineup:
Costil; Kwateng, Gregersen, Mexer; Pembele, Onana, Otavio, Mangas; Kalu, Adli; Hwang

Rennes possible starting lineup:
Gomis; Traore, Aguerd, Bade, Meling; Santamaria, Bourigeaud, Tait; Laborde, Terrier, Sulemana

We say: Bordeaux 1-3 Rennes

It is difficult not to envisage a flurry of goals at the Matmut Atlantique given the two sides' midweek results, but Bordeaux's defensive frailties are there to be exposed by Sulemana and co.

The hosts can boast a strong record in this fixture, but they are certainly not expected to replicate their spectacular long-range strikes from midweek, and we expect Rennes to end their abysmal away record at the expense of Bordeaux's poor home run.