Rennes vs Baumit Jablonec Predictions

The road to the Olympic Stadium in Baku is a long one with plenty of challenges, and this Thursday sees sides face off in the first group game of the Europa League as they set their sights on European football’s second biggest prize. One of those matches sees French side Stade Rennais welcome the Czech Republic’s FK Baumit Jablonec to Roazhon Park.

The hosts have had a difficult start to their domestic campaign and they have managed to claim just seven points from their opening five encounters. Although they have struggled to put points on the board, they still have a healthy strike rate in front of goal and should not be underestimated. Rennes are making their first appearance in Europe for six years and they will be hoping for a better crack at it this time around as they previously failed to win a single game and collected just three points from the group stage before their exit.

Making the trip to France is a Jablonek side who earned their spot in Europe thanks to a solid campaign which saw them finish in third in their league and as runners up in their domestic cup competition. It is the first time the side have been involved in a UEFA competition proper since the 1998-99 Cup Winners’ Cup first round, in which they were knocked out on penalties by Apollon Limassol.

Given the difference in quality in the two leagues, it is hard to imagine anything other than a home win in this fixture. With home advantage also going in their favour, it is no surprise Stade Rennais are priced so short to claim the victory. However, a comfortable victory seems to be the only likely outcome, so backing the hosts with a (-1) handicap looks to be the way to go.