Ligue 1 preview: Rennes meet Marseille in Friday blockbuster

Second-placed Rennes host fourth-placed Marseille at the Stade de la Route-de-Lorient on Friday in the pick of this weekend’s Ligue 1 fixtures.

Rennes are just behind Lille on goal difference with both sides locked on 49 points apiece, and Friday’s game shapes as a crucial one in deciding the ultimate destination of this year’s title.

With Marseille and third-placed Lyon both four points behind the top pair, points are like gold dust – and with 12 games remaining the competition for next season’s European spots is hotting up.

Rennes are the form side of French football at the moment, riding high after five consecutive league wins, and manager Pierre Dreossi will be hoping for more good form from Colombian striker Victor Montano, who has scored in three of their last four games.

To do so they will have to counter a miserly Marseille defence who have conceded just 12 goals away from home this season.

League leaders Lille play on Sunday, when they welcome 13th-placed Valenciennes to the Stadium Lille Metropole.

On Saturday, Lyon will look to keep the pressure on the leaders when they travel to play Sochaux, and bottom side Arles play host to Lorient at the Stade Fernaud Fournier, but appear certain to be relegated – 13 points adrift of their nearest rivals.

Caen travel to Nancy and Lens will look to escape the drop zone when they play host to Toulouse.

Nice play Auxerre with both sides looking to put more breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone, and 10th meets 11th when Brest travel to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard to play St Etienne.

On Sunday, shock relegation battlers Monaco will look to climb out of the bottom three when they travel to take on Jean Tigana’s Bordeaux side and Paris St Germain welcome Montpellier to the Parc des Princes.