Stade Rennais FC - FC Sochaux-Montbéliard  (18:00CET)

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The Bretons drew 0-0 at Nancy last time out and have won just two of their last seven league games, hardly form that is likely to see them finish the campaign in the European places. Frédéric Antonetti's side have been permanent fixtures in the top seven this season, but there is a real danger of them becoming cut off from the likes of Marseille, Lille and Lyon unless they recover their free-scoring form of the early weeks of the campaign.

"We knew that Paris and Montpellier would maintain the same rhythm. It is going to be very hard to finish the season in the top three, four or five places," says winger Yacine Brahimi, who turned 22 this week. "We will have to hang on. We need to concentrate on our own game and take as many points as possible in the hope that the sides above us slip up. And we must win practically all of our matches against the sides currently below us, even if that will be tough." 

Brahimi was among the scorers as Rennes beat Evian 3-2 on Tuesday to seal their place in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France. They were left hanging on after Evian pulled two goals back late on but the result means that the 2009 Coupe runners-up have lost just once in 17 games at their Stade de la Route de Lorient in all competitions. Marseille - who won 2-1 there a fortnight ago - remain the only visiting side to emerge victorious from Rennes this campaign.

"There is no doubt that if we want to stay up at the top of the table then we need to be consistent," says coach Antonetti. "Against Evian, for example, we played some great stuff and then made some stupid mistakes. It was the same against Marseille. We are capable of reaching a really high level and then dropping off again. That can be explained by such things as a lack of concentration. We must be capable of remaining focused, motivated and aggressive over a whole 90 minutes."

A repeat of their performance when they met Sochaux at the Stade Bonal in September would do nicely for the Corsican. On that occasion Rennes romped to a 6-2 win, and Sochaux's present problems can be traced back to that night. Les Lionceaux lost just one of their first six matches this season, but assistant coach Stéphane Gilli admits that things have never been the same since that demoralising setback.

'TERRIBLE NIGHT'

"That defeat was when our problems really started," he said. "It was a terrible night. Rennes dominated us from start to finish, but we shouldn't think too much about that game. The important thing is to keep working as we have been since the winter break. The little details count when you are down at the foot of the table but the performances against Saint-Etienne and Lorient were better and we should have beaten Lorient. There seems now to be more consistency, fluidity and solidity to our play. There have been positive signs at training. The 6-2 defeat can serve as a source of motivation."

Sochaux are bottom of the table, although they do have a game in hand after last week's home meeting with Lille was called off at the last minute. Lying as they do just three points adrift of Ajaccio in 15th, they are hardly at risk of being cut off at the foot, but they will be desperate to get back to winning ways after a miserable run of eight league matches - and nine games in all competitions - without a win. Their defeat of Lyon back on November 6 is their only win in their last 12 league outings.

The visitors will arrive in Brittany without goalkeeper Teddy Richert, who is still recovering from an operation on a finger, while Carlão is out for around a month after tearing a hamstring against Lorient and has returned to his native Brazil to recover. Jérémie Bréchet and Sébastien Corchia (both hamstring) are out, as is Modibo Maïga (Africa Cup of Nations) but Sébastien Roudet (illness) should be fine and Abdoul Razzagui Camara could feature against his old side after returning from the AFCON. For the hosts, Razak Boukari (thigh) and Youssouf Hadji (hamstring) are out, while John Boye and Cheick Diarra are still at the AFCON. Jirès Kembo-Ekoko came off in the Cup win against Evian with a knee knock but is fine, while Mevlut Erding should start against the club where he started his career.

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