Stade Rennais FC vs Monaco preview - Montanier: Monaco can cope

Posted Friday, November 28, 2014 by PA

Rennes coach Phillippe Montanier is certain Monaco's players will not be feeling their midweek Champions League exertions in their legs when the Principality club travel to the Stade de la Route de Lorient this weekend.

Saturday's Ligue 1 encounter promises to be an enthralling affair between two teams defending unbeaten runs. Rennes have not lost in six league matches and sit one place and two points above a Monaco side also on a six-game streak without defeat.

However, while Rennes have had the luxury of six days off since their victory over Guingamp, Leonardo Jardim's team were at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday for a hard-fought victory which improved their chances of reaching the last 16.

It remains to be seen how much of a toll that match and the travelling has taken on Monaco's players, but Montanier doubts there will be much of an advantage for his side.

"Monaco may think they are tired but they will have the strength to run," he told Rennes' official website.

"We are meeting a Champions League team. This will inevitably be very difficult for us. It really does not bother them to play every three days. Players like Ricardo Carvalho, Joao Moutinho and Jeremy Toulalan have the experience to handle multiple matches."

Monaco defender Carvalho hopes his team can take the victory needed to climb above seventh-placed Rennes in the standings.

"It was a great victory over Leverkusen. The priority was to win but now we need three points in Rennes," he said in quotes on the club's Twitter feed.

"Rennes are in excellent shape. Their team move the ball well and we will need to be focused to get a result."

Monaco will travel to Rennes without the suspended Tiemoue Bakayoko, while there are doubts over the fitness of Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco (leg) and Lacina Traore (shin).