Monaco Vs Rennes
Monaco Vs Rennes Wednesday, 22 December 2021 – 20:00 (GMT)
French Ligue 1
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 20/23
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 20 December 2021)
Preview: Two teams keen to end the year on a high renew acquaintances at Stade Louis II in Monaco, where Niko Kovac’s hosts haven’t tasted defeat in Ligue 1 since September but are coming up against a Rennes side who are unbeaten on their travels for over three months.
French Ligue 1 Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Monaco – Work to do heading into the New Year?
If a third place finish in 2020-21 is the benchmark upon which this Monaco team are to be judged against, then the first half of this season has fallen some way short of the standards we’ve all come to expect of the Principality outfit. As we approach the midway mark, Niko Kovac and his side are languishing down in eighth spot – five points off a Champions League play-off berth that is currently occupied by Rennes.
A return of three wins from their past nine Ligue 1 matches (D3 L3) underpins where it is going wrong for Kovac, the Croatian seemingly at pains to replicate the same level of consistency as in the previous campaign. Yet a 2-0 scoreline in Paris to PSG last time out marked a first league defeat since the end of October (W2 D3), while they remain unbeaten at home in the league since September (W4 D2).
Key Stat: Monaco haven’t lost a Ligue 1 home fixture since a 2-0 scoreline against Marseille on 11 September, a run of six matches comprising 16 goals scored and only five conceded. Among these games, only in their 1-1 draw with Strasbourg did they not muster at least two goals.
Rennes – Genesio’s men out to end turbulent year with a flourish?
A lack of consistency ultimately proved the undoing of Rennes last season, though the club from Brittany salvaged a fifth place finish when at one stage a relegation battle seemed on the cards. That there was no such anxiety was thanks in no small part to the March appointment of Bruno Genesio as head coach. The former Lyon boss hasn’t let up either, overseeing a strong showing in the first part of 2021-22.
Should they acquire maximum points from their final outing of the year, Les Rennais could conceivably end 2021 in second. Regardless, their performances thus far has been something for supporters to saviour even if results have dipped lately. The recent 2-1 loss at home to Nice marking their second Ligue 1 defeat in three such matches, having previously been unbeaten for nine consecutive league outings (W7 D2).
Key Stat: While Rennes have slumped to back-to-back home defeats in Ligue 1, away from home the side from Brittany are among the best around (W3 D3 L2 in 2021-22) and will be striving to preserve their five-match unbeaten away run (W3 D2) here. They have scored at least twice in each of their previous four said fixtures.
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Monaco Vs Rennes Betting Advice
With the pair easing themselves into the next round of the Coupe de France at the weekend, both sides enter into arguably the most intriguing fixture of the round with a win. Something has to give then, and in more ways than one. For eighth-placed Monaco, they are unbeaten in six (W4 D2) as Ligue 1 hosts but are facing superior opposition in third place Rennes, who haven’t lost their last five away contests (W3 D2).
Monaco Vs Rennes – Key Facts:
- Wednesday’s venue doesn’t hold many fond recent memories for Rennes who are striving to improve upon a record of one win here across their last 14 visits in all competitions.
- There has been at least three match goals scored in the past seven Ligue 1 home games for Monaco, who are unbeaten as hosts in six (W4 D2).
- However, Rennes are in red hot form away from home, losing none of their past five Ligue 1 away fixtures (W3 D2) having scored 2+ in each of the previous four.
Goals should be the order of the day in the Principality. Monaco have scored at least twice in five of the last six Ligue 1 home games, thrashing Metz 4-0 last time out there, whereas Rennes are bidding to score two or more for the fifth away Ligue 1 game running having recently put five past St-Etienne. Moreover, all of the most recent five head-to-heads at Stade Louis II produced a minimum of three match goals.
Best Betting Odds – Monaco Vs Rennes
Monaco – 6/5 (Betfair)
Draw – 12/5 (Coral)
Rennes – 9/4 (WilliamHill)
