Saturday 12/04/2014, 22:00, France Ligue 1, Round 33, Rennes vs Monaco

Rennes vs Monaco Betting Preview

With six rounds left to play in the French Ligue 1, Monaco trail PSG by 13 points and they are very likely to finish second. What would normally be regarded as an achievement by most teams is largely considered to be a failure by Monaco owners who have invested massively in this squad. The prospect of losing the second place to Lille is downright frightening and in order to avoid this worst-case scenario, they need to win at Rennes.

Rennes vs Monaco Betting Odds

At Bet365

Rennes 3.40, Draw 3.10 Monaco 2.25

Rennes vs Monaco Betting Tips

Coach Ranieri had few reasons to worry about his position, but recent rumors suggest that he might be leaving the team this summer. It was clear from the very beginning that Monaco will be competing with PSG for the title, but everyone expected a tight finish. The prospect of finishing 10 points behind the leaders is upsetting and that's why Ranieri could be sacked this summer.

Meanwhile, he needs to make the most of what he's got and the first challenge is to win back-to-back games for the first time in one month. Monaco posted convincing home victories against Lens and Nantes but were less impressive on the road and succumbed to Evian two weeks ago. They have just one absentee, but unfortunately for them Falcao is the only irreplaceable player in their rotation.

Rennes is not exactly the best team to face on the road, as they only lost twice in the last 14 games played against Monaco at home. The head to head record will reveal some interesting details, with the hosts winning the most recent nine games. Before that, there were no home wins in 10 rounds, so the importance of having home pitch advantage shouldn't be overestimated.

Rennes welcomed back several players who spent some time on the disabled list and are now at full strength, with Ntep being the only absentee. They haven't lost a game in almost one month, but this season they didn't win a single game against one of the best four teams in Ligue 1.

With Falcao injured, Monaco will rely on Berbatov and Riviere, with the former being involved in the last nine goals. He scored twice and provided 3 decisive passes, so the hosts would be wise not to leave him unchecked.

Key Facts

• Monaco is among the best Ligue 1 teams in the first 15 minutes, scoring 11 goals in the first quarter of an hour.
• Rennes has a strong home record, but is yet to win a match against one of the top 4 teams in Ligue 1

Rennes vs Monaco Betting Odds Prediction

Monaco needs a home win to consolidate its position, while Ranieri could also use a victory to dissipate the rumors regarding his imminent departure.

There is enough value in the odds of 2.25 to warrant a full stakes wager on the visitors to prevail.

Bet: Monaco @ 2.25 with Bet365