Rennes vs Auxerre Prediction: The most boring match of the round?

On Matchday 7 of the French Ligue 1, Rennes will face Auxerre at home. They have not played with each other for more than eight years. What new chapter in the history of confrontation between the Bretons and Burgundians? 

In the first six rounds of Ligue 1, Rennes have won twice and drawn twice. They are currently in 9th place in the table, which clearly does not reflect their ambitions. The Bretons renewed their attacking line during the summer transfer window: Amine Gouiri replaced Gaetan Laborde, and the club also brought Arnaud Kalimuendo. The latter, however, has recently dropped out due to injury, and the new ligament in the attack is not yet able to run in. Jérémy Doku and Warmed Omari are also out. Their loss does not seem so significant. There are no particular complaints about Rennes' defenders, but it took a long time for the team to find its game in attack. There are still problems, and it is not certain that the crisis has passed.

In the last round of the Ligue 1, Rennes shared points with Troyes 1-1 away. Bruno Génésio's men played most of the game on the powerplay, and they could do little on offense when the teams were equal players. Breton lacked inventiveness, although constant crosses into the penalty area resulted in several chances. Also, Rennes frequently struck from outside the box, and a shot from the penalty area eventually led to a goal. The team took 19 shots on goal, hitting the box six times. This week, Rennes got their UEFA Europa League campaign underway: they beat AEK Larnaca 2-1 away.

Auxerre's return to Ligue 1 has been a success so far. In 6 rounds, they have won 2 games and picked up 7 points, sitting 12th in the table. So far, the team cannot offer credible resistance to European title contenders: Auxerre have lost to Lyon, Marseille, and Lille. Against comparable opponents, things are much more pleasing, although the reason for their success is largely due to the high performance of the chances. There could be changes in the team's game for the season, as not all newcomers have had time to settle in and get game time. M'Baye Niang, for example, missed two games due to his suspension and just recently returned to the Auxerre squad. As for current losses, Julian Jeanvier, Théo Pellenard, and Gaëtan Charbonnier are still unlikely to play due to injury.

Jean-Marc Furlan's side could not outplay Marseille 0-2 in the last Ligue 1 fixture. Auxerre could have conceded 3-4 goals, but goalkeeper Benoit Costil helped them avoid it. In the 2nd half, Burgundians could have turned the tide and restored the balance on the scoreboard: Paul Joly and Gauthier Hein failed to convert their chances. In total, the team struck 8 shots on goal, 6 of them in the 2nd half.

Rennes' recent match against AEK was uneventful, with the team still unable to realize their full attacking potential. The Breton newcomers need time to adjust, and a very tight schedule can tire them. Auxerre, though, look toothless against strong teams in attack; it will be even more difficult away. I suggest we bet on the following outcomes:

• Both teams to score - No for 1.94;
• Total Under 2.5 goals for 2.39;
• Correct score 1:0 for 9.80.