Supporters at Roazhon Park on Thursday night will witness a battle for first place in Group F of this season's Europa League, as Rennes welcome La Liga outfit Villarreal to France.
Both sides have already secured their spot in the knockout stages of the competition, but only the section winners will be able to progress directly into the last 16.
Match preview
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Rennes have now suffered back-to-back Ligue 1 defeats for only the second time this season after Monaco arrived at Roazhon Park on Saturday evening and managed to escape with all three points, with Vanderson and Youssouf Fofana finding the net in the second period for Adi Hutter's men.
Following a highly-respectable fourth-placed finish in the French top flight during the 2022-23 campaign - which allowed Rennes to participate in the Europa League - Julien Stephan's charges have endured a wretched start to domestic matters this time around, sitting 13th and winning just three of their opening 15 contests.
The Reds and Blacks' fortunes on the continental stage have been a lot rosier, with the French club currently top of their Europa League section after collecting 12 points from the first five matchdays, including a comfortable 3-0 success over bottom side Maccabi Haifa on November 30.
Holding the reputation of being able to nurture some of the brightest talents in European football, Rennes saw their ranks raided in the summer by some of the world's biggest clubs, with Belgium international Jeremy Doku securing a lucrative switch to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City for £62m.
With plenty of star men departing in the summer window, the Ligue 1 side have leaned on the goals of a midfielder who has never played professional football outside of France, with former Lens creator Benjamin Bourigeaud scoring four and providing two assists in 15 league appearances.
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Villarreal secured their place in the knockout stages of this season's Europa League with a 3-2 success over Greek giants Panathinaikos on matchday five, with strikes from Alex Baena, Santi Comesana and Jose Luis Morales firing the hosts into a three-goal lead at Estadio de la Ceramica on November 30.
Ivan Jovanovic's side did manage to reduce the deficit to just the single goal in the second period thanks to counters from Sebastian Palacios and four-goal striker Fotis Ioannidis, but the Spanish hosts were able to hold on for their third win of the continental campaign.
The 2020-21 Europa League winners are among the favourites to progress into the latter stages of this season's competition, but Marcelino Garcia knows that his side must be victorious at Rennes on Thursday night to avoid a two-legged playoff with a third-placed team from the Champions League group stage.
Always a reliable figure at the focal point of the attack, 31-year-old Gerard Moreno is leading Villarreal's scoring charts in La Liga this term with eight goals from 14 matches, although the 17-time Spain international is yet to get off the mark in the Europa League after netting seven in 12 European contests on route to the trophy in 2021.
The Yellow Submarine need three points to top Group F and will be confident of producing the necessary result following the side's last meeting in October, when Alexander Sorloth bagged a first-half goal to hand Villarreal a narrow 1-0 success over the Ligue 1 club on matchday two.
Team News
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Despite failing to earn any points against Monaco on the weekend, Rennes are expected to name a similar side for another match at Roazhon Park, meaning Warmed Omari and Arthur Theate will start in the backline.
Midfielder Martin Terrier and striker Bertug Yildirim enjoyed cameos off the bench last time out, and both will be hoping to earn a place in the XI on Thursday.
With some European experienced required, Stephan may opt to field former Manchester United and Chelsea enforcer Nemanja Matic in the engine room, although the 35-year-old missed the Monaco matchup on Saturday.
Villarreal remain without the services of ex-Liverpool man Alberto Moreno, who has not featured in the matches against Maccabi Haifa and Real Sociedad due to a muscle injury.
Alfonso Pedraza is suspended for Thursday night's trip to France after collecting three yellow cards over the course of the group-stage campaign, meaning Garcia is without two left-backs.
After impressing massively since making his debut for the Yellow Submarine in October 2020, Yeremi Pino's blossoming career has hit a major obstacle, with the young winger sidelined for the remainder of the season because of a cruciate ligament injury.
Rennes possible starting lineup:
Mandanda; Omari, Belocian, Theate; Bourigeaud, Le Fee, Santamaria, Nagida; Gouiri, Blas, Kalimuendo-Muinga
Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Jorgensen; Foyth, Albiol, Cuenca, Kiko; Akhomach, Capoue, Parejo, Baena; Moreno, Sorloth
We say: Rennes 1-1 Villarreal
Rennes have turned on the style in the Europa League this term despite their struggles in domestic football, and the hosts need to repeat that trick once more to secure top spot in Group F.
Villarreal were dismantled by Real Sociedad on the weekend during a disastrous end to the first half, and a similar collapse at Roazhon Park will lead to playoff football for the Yellow Submarine in February.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Carter White
