Crisis club Lyon will look to turn their fortunes around when they travel to face Rennes in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

The seven-time French champions remain rooted to the bottom of the standings and are still without a win this season.

Match preview

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Lyon's demise in the early stages of this season is arguably the biggest shock in Europe's top leagues so far, as they are still bottom now into the fourth month of the season.

For a club that won seven straight Ligue 1 titles between 2002 and 2008, the threat of relegation is now a very real one.

Former player Fabio Grosso has not been able to turn the tide yet during his brief tenure at the helm after replacing Laurent Blanc.

After 10 games, Lyon are the only side in France's top three divisions still without a win, and the last six sides who found themselves in this position in the top flight all went on to get relegated.

OL are already seven points adrift - albeit with a game in hand on most of the league after their clash at Marseille was postponed - and they must win this weekend to have any chance of moving off the bottom before the international break.

They limped to a 1-1 draw at home with Metz last weekend, needing a late Skelly Alvero strike to salvage a point.

Their hosts this weekend Rennes have hardly made much of a positive start themselves, as they have made their worst start in five seasons.

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Rennes have drawn six of their 11 Ligue 1 games this season, but they have taken just one point from their previous four outings, causing a rapid slide in a very tight league table.

After winning 10 of their first 11 home league games last season, Rennes have just one from their opening five this time around.

Bruno Genesio's side enter the weekend in 11th, just two points above the relegation playoff spot despite having one of the most potent attacking forces in the league, with only Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco and Reims having scored more.

Rennes have reserved their good form solely for Europe this season, as they completed a back-to-back double over Panathinaikos in midweek, winning 3-1 here despite playing almost an hour with 10 men.

A comfortable win at home to Maccabi Haifa also means they are in control of the group, and football on the continent in the new year looks a certainty now.

Team News

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Rennes will be without two players due to suspension for this one, as Warmed Omari will serve the first of a two-match suspension following his red card at Nice.

Lorenz Assignon is also banned due to an accumulation of yellow cards, but neither defender started in midweek despite their pending suspension domestically.

Turkish international Bertug Yildirim will miss his nation's upcoming fixtures with a groin injury that will sideline him here.

Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda is also out with a knee injury, but Ibrahim Salah returned from a knock of his own to score against Panathinaikos on Thursday.

Lyon will welcome back Corentin Tolisso after he served a one-match suspension for the draw with Metz.

Mohamed El Arouch is the only expected injury absentee for Grosso, who has drafted plenty of new players into the side in hopes of changing their fortunes.

Former Crystal Palace defender Jake O'Brien has become a regular, along with last week's goalscorer Alvero, while 18-year-old Mahamadou Diawara is set for a fourth straight start.

Rennes possible starting lineup:
Gallon; G Doue, Theate, Belocian, Truffert; Le Fee, Matic, Blas, Bourigeaud, Gouiri; Terrier

Lyon possible starting lineup:
Lopes; Clinton Mata, O'Brien, Diomande; Kumbedi, Alvero, Caqueret, Tolisso, Tagliafico; Diawara, Lacazette

We say: Rennes 2-1 Lyon

Rennes have a good recent record against Lyon here, winning their last two, scoring seven goals in the process, and given Lyon's troubles, they should make that three in a row.

Grosso and his squad have a monumental task on their hands already given the deficit they need to make up, but this will be a challenging encounter, and they are set to go into the international break a long way adrift of safety.


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Written by
Andrew Delaney

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