Ligue 1 begins the year 2025 with a trip from ambitious Rennes to Nice on Friday (9:00 p.m.) and an ideal opportunity for Marseille to distance itself from Monaco on Sunday (8:45 p.m.) against Le Havre, during the 16th day.
The match: Nice – Rennes, Sampaoli wants to take his Haise
The Argentinian Jorge Sampaoli is in control of Rennes since November, but January could mark the real start of his mandate. The club, which initially aimed for qualification in Champions Leaguein fact, intends to strike hard in the winter transfer window to make up for its poor first part of the season (12th with 17 points). He has already announced the recruitment of the former Lensois Fofana SchoolWednesday.
More Sampaoli is expected from Friday at Nicewhere to seek a victory against the men of Franck Haise (6ᵉ with 24 points) will not be obvious. In his last four matches at the Allianz Riviera, Nice remains on three victories and a draw against a good team of Lille.
The dynamic: OM wants to dump Monaco
This is the perfect opportunity for Marseille : Monacobehind on the only goal difference (30 points), has already played his match of this day, lost at home against the PSG (4-2) before the Christmas holidays. At the moment when the Monegasques will aim for a revenge in Champions Trophy Sunday in Doha (5:30 p.m.), Marseille will be preparing an affordable match at the Vélodrome against Le Havre (penultimate, 12 points). Especially since with three victories and a draw in his last four matches, the coach Roberto DeZerbi seems to have found its starting team and a cruising speed.
The player: Brice Samba, one last one for Bollaert?
The guardian of Lenswhere he is approaching 100 cumulative matches since his arrival in 2022, is in full negotiation with Rennesaccording to several media. He who has already been placed on the bench in French Cup against the PSG (elimination on penalties) for the last match of 2024 will he play again with Lensin Bollaert (3:00 p.m. Sunday against Toulouse) ? Improbable: either the transfer will have already been formalized, or the Lens management will prefer to preserve it. The farewells with the boiling public of the settlements will therefore perhaps not take place on the ground.
