Lorient vs Rennes Prediction: Merlus eye home upset in Breton derby

Lorient vs Rennes Prediction and Odds on 24 August 2025

Lorient welcome rivals Rennes to the Stade du Moustoir for a heated Breton derby in Ligue 1’s second round, hoping to bounce back from a tough start. The Merlus, fresh off promotion from Ligue 2, fell 1-0 to Auxerre in their opener despite a strong performance. Rennes, meanwhile, pulled off a tough 1-0 win over Marseille despite playing most of the game with ten men after Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal’s red card in the 31st minute, with Ludovic Blas scoring a stoppage-time winner. Lorient have dominated this fixture recently, winning their last four against Rennes across all competitions. We’re expecting a fiery, goal-filled clash with both sides finding the net. Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available. 

Lorient: form and statistics

Form in the Championship: L

Lorient’s return to Ligue 1 hasn’t gone as smoothly as they would have hoped. Their 1-0 defeat to Auxerre marked a second consecutive game without finding the back of the net. The first half was evenly balanced, but Lassine Sinayoko’s strike in the 53rd minute broke the deadlock. Auxerre even had the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot, but Josue Casimir’s effort hit the woodwork.

Despite the result, Lorient actually put in a strong performance and created chances, but once again, they left the pitch empty-handed. That loss leaves them sitting 13th in the table, still chasing consistency early in the season.

On the positive side, Lorient can take confidence from their recent head-to-head record against Rennes, having won their last four meetings. Add to that the advantage of playing at home, and Lorient have what it takes to turn things around in this fixture.

Lorient Lineup

Lorient: Possible Lineup

Pantaloni’s 4-2-3-1 leans on Tosin’s pace and Bamba’s flair to help him pull the strings. Noah Cadiou got a Hamstring injury, and he will not be available until early September.

Player to watch out for: Aiyegun Tosin

The 26-year-old forward has been instrumental for Lorient, and we think he is well-positioned for a goal in this game. 

🔖 Lorient Possible Lineup (3-4-3)

Kamara — Igor Silva, Talbi, Formose Mendy,— Abergel, Arsene Kouassi, Avon Ebong, Mugisha Mendy — Pagis, Mohamed Bamba, Tosin

👤 Head coach: Olivier Pantaloni

Rennes: form and statistics

Form in the Championship: W

Rennes kicked off their Ligue 1 campaign in style, stunning Marseille 1-0 with ten men, thanks to Ludovic Blas’ late heroics. On paper, it was Marseille’s game all the way; they dominated with 72% possession and racked up 24 shots, even striking the woodwork twice. Rennes, meanwhile, were left with just 28% possession and very few attacking prospects, but they defended well and seized their luck until Blas delivered the decisive moment. Many pundits have been quick to call it a lucky win, but Rennes won’t care; “A win is a win, and three points are three points.

Rennes finished 12th in the 24/25 season, 8 points clear of the relegation zone, with a total of 41 points. This season, Rennes will be aiming to finish top six and make it to Europe next season. They are currently 7th in the league table with a win from a single game played.

Rennes Lineup

Rennes: Possible Lineup

Coach Julien Stéphan is without Ait Boudlal, who was suspended in the season opener against Marseille (suspended), while Mikayil Faye and Lilian Brassier are doubtful. Lilian Brassier suffered an ankle injury, and he is set to return mid-September. 

🔖Rennes Potential Starting Lineup (4-3-2)

Brice Samba — Nagida, Frankowski, Anthony Rouault, Quentin Merlin, Christopher Wooh — Seko Fofana, Valentin Rongier, Djaoui Cisse — Kader Meite, Mousa Tamari

⛔️ Out: Lilian Brassier. (Ankle Injury), Ait Boudlal. (Suspended).

👤Head coach: Habib Beye 

Lorient vs Rennes Head-to-Head Statistics

Lorient have won their last 4 matches against Rennes, including a 1-2 victory in March 2024, with goals from Mohamed Bamba and Eli Kroupi. Overall, in 29 meetings, Rennes lead with 14 wins to Lorient’s 9 and 6 draws,

📈Lorient vs Rennes Betting Tips and Odds

• Four consecutive wins for Lorient in their last four meetings, and this option is offered on the Betway bookmaker website for 2.72 odds;
• Rennes is without a clean sheet in their last 4 meetings, and the option for Lorient to score a goal is offered on the Bet365 bookmaker website for 1.32 odds;
• Some Betway experts believe that Rennes is the better team and they’ll go ahead to win the game, and this option is offered on the Betway bookmaker website for 2.54 odds;
• There have been more than 2.5 goals in 4 of their last 5 meetings, and the option is offered on the 1xbet bookmaker website for 1.96 odds;
• Lorient has scored first in 4 of their last 5 meetings, and the option for Lorient to score first is offered on the Betway bookmaker website for 2.09 odds;

🎯 Lorient vs Rennes Match Prediction 24 August 2025

Lorient are desperate to get their Ligue 1 campaign on track, and the passionate Moustoir crowd will give them a massive lift in this Breton derby. Their recent dominance over Rennes, which constitutes victories in their last four encounters, could trouble a Rennes side missing key players. However, Rennes showed great power against Marseille; they have proved themselves to be a top team not easily vanquished. Rennes have played at the top in the last 3 seasons in the Ligue 1, except for last season, where they struggled a little. I doubt that Rennes will lose to a newly promoted Lorient side; the worst case here is a draw for Rennes. 

Our match prediction: At least one team will score over 1.5 goals, for a coefficient of 1.61 in the 1xBet bookmaker. 

Our betting tip on the match: A total of over 2.5 goals for 1.96 in the Betway bookmaker.

Lastly: Away win either half at 1.78 odds in the Bet365 bookmaker.