Hosting freshly promoted Metz at Roazhon Park, Rennes kick off their Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday afternoon.
While the visitors return to the French top flight after just one season away, Les Rennais will aim to improve on last term's fourth-place finish, which was enough to earn them a Europa League place.
Match preview
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Rennes ended their 2022-23 campaign with four consecutive wins in Ligue 1, securing a top-four spot ahead of Lille and Monaco, and replicating their finish of one year previously.
During pre-season, the Breton club have won four of their six warm-up fixtures, including victories over Premier League sides West Ham United and Nottingham Forest - the latter by a 5-0 margin, with new captain Benjamin Bourigeaud helping himself to a brace.
Bruno Genesio's men may have subsequently lost 3-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but should still have enough momentum behind them to make a better start to the new season than in recent years.
Having started only one of their last nine Ligue 1 campaigns with a win - losing on five occasions - Rennes are now seeking a first opening-day success since 2019.
Les Rouge et Noirs - who recruited Enzo Le Fee from Lorient and Ludovic Blas from Nantes to bolster a talented squad this summer - have lost just one of their last 19 league meetings with Metz, though.
On a run of five successive wins against Les Grenats, Sunday's clash will be the fifth time that the teams have faced each other on the first day of the season - indeed, they met on the very first Ligue 1 matchday, back in September 1932.
After bouncing back at the first attempt, having finished runners-up to Le Havre in Ligue 2 last term, Metz are now embarking on their tenth top-flight season as a promoted side.
One of French football's 'yo-yo clubs', Les Grenats this time arrive with plenty of momentum behind them, as they are the only team from Europe's top five leagues and their respective second divisions to have avoided defeat so far in 2023.
Winning 13 times and drawing on eight occasions this year en route to promotion, Metz were guided back to the elite by veteran coach Laszlo Boloni, who now returns to Ligue 1 some 12 years after leaving Lens.
Set to become only the second coach to manage in France's top tier aged 70 or over, following in the footsteps of ex-Marseille boss Raymond Goethals, Boloni has overseen a positive pre-season featuring four wins - the most recent coming against Heerenveen last week.
While Metz failed to win any of their last eight away games when relegated in 2022, they more recently went 13 without losing on the road between November and May of this year. However, they must step up a level this weekend, with a testing trip to Brittany.
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Team News
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Though talented teenager Lesley Ugochukwu has left for Chelsea and several loanees also departed at the end of their deals, Rennes have made a handful of signings, with big-money buys Ludovic Blas and Enzo Le Fee the headline arrivals.
Only Benjamin Andre won more duels than Le Fee in Ligue 1 last season, and the France Under-21 international should start on Sunday, after making over 100 appearances for former club Lorient. Blas, however, must serve a suspension and misses out.
New skipper Benjamin Bourigeaud is set for his seventh season at Roazhon Park and - after Hamari Traore joined Real Sociedad - his first as captain. He should join Le Fee in a midfield trio, behind an attack led by Arnaud Kalimuendo; star striker Martin Terrier remains on the road to recovery after sustaining an ACL injury earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Metz have only brought in forward Simon Elisor for a fee this summer, along with a number of free-transfer signings such as Hull City's Benjamin Tetteh.
Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze should still start up front, though, having remained at the club despite strong interest from abroad. With 23 goals and eight assists to his name in Ligue 2 last term, the 22-year-old poses a distinct threat to Rennes' back four.
Rennes possible starting lineup:
Mandanda; Truffert, Theate, Omari, Assignon; Bourigeaud, Le Fee, Santamaria; D. Doue, Kalimuendo, Doku
Metz possible starting lineup:
Oukidja; Kouao, Lo, Cande, Udol; N'Duquidi, Jacques; Camara, Maziz, Sabaly; Mikautadze
We say: Rennes 3-1 Metz
Rennes have not recorded a draw in their last 37 Ligue 1 home games, while posting an impressive 29 wins in that period; in fact, their last home draw came on the opening matchday in 2021. That run should continue, as the hosts have far too much firepower for their promoted opponents to withstand - though they may concede a goal en route to victory.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
