Toulouse will be looking to record back-to-back wins across all competitions when they clash with Rennes at Stadium de Toulouse on Sunday afternoon in Ligue 1.
The hosts had a successful evening in the Coupe de France on Wednesday when they knocked out Reims, whereas Rennes have enjoyed a full week to prepare for their trip to Toulouse.
Match preview
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Toulouse's Ligue 1 season looks set to end with a comfortable mid-table finish after promotion from Ligue 2 last campaign, a commendable achievement for a club who had the primary objective of maintaining their first-tier status.
Philippe Montanier's men are 12th in the league standings having collected 29 points from 22 matches, leaving them 11 points from the European places and also 11 points ahead of the bottom four.
The club's safety this term has been cemented by their impressive form in 2023 so far, with Le Tefece Les Violets losing just one of their six Ligue 1 clashes since the start of January - that defeat came at the home of Paris Saint-Germain last weekend.
The visitors that day took an unexpected lead through midfielder Branco van den Boomen, but goals either side of the half-time break from Achraf Hakimi and Lionel Messi secured maximum points for the Parisians.
Montanier's side put that disappointment in the capital behind them in the week by beating Will Still's Reims 3-1 in the last-16 stage of the Coupe de France, a competition that in the 1956-1957 campaign provided Toulouse with their only major trophy to date.
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Since a notable victory over league-leaders PSG in the middle of January, Rennes have started to falter in their hunt for European qualification and silverware this season.
Bruno Genesio's side have lost three of their last four games in all competitions, with one of those defeats leading them to bow out of the Coupe de France at the hands of Marseille.
Despite the natural disappointment of exiting a cup competition, it will be the recent league losses to Lorient and Lille that will concern Genesio the most, with those two opponents now within striking distance of Rennes' top-five position.
Les Rennais were in the ascendency early on against Paulo Fonseca's men last weekend after Amine Gouiri put them ahead within the first minute, but three second-half strikes from the visitors at Roazhon Park gave Lille a lifeline in their search for continental football next season.
Rennes face a congested February, as their Europa League knockout campaign begins with a two-legged tie against Shakhtar Donetsk, and it remains to be seen whether Genesio's charges can juggle both Ligue 1 and European football successfully.
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With Toulouse three goals ahead after 60 minutes against Reims on Wednesday, Montanier had the luxury of bringing key components of his team such as Van den Boomen and Thijs Dallinga off earlier than expected for extra rest ahead of this weekend.
Les Tefece Les Violets have no fresh injury concerns heading into Sunday, although long-term absentees Denis Genreau (muscle) and Welshman Rhys Healey (cruciate ligament) remain sidelined for the hosts.
Rennes have their own cruciate ligament injury among their squad, with left-winger Martin Terrier out for the remainder of the campaign with an issue sustained in the victory over Nice at the start of January.
On-loan Tottenham Hotspur right-back Djed Spence made his debut for Genesio's side in the defeat to Lille last time out, and the 22-year-old should maintain his place in the XI ahead of Norwegian Birger Meling.
Spence is expected to play plenty of minutes within the next fortnight due to the calf injury picked up by Hamari Traore, with the 31-year-old hoping to be back in action by the end of the month.
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Dupe; Kamanzi, Rouault, Nicolaisen, Diarra; Van den Boomen, Spierings, Dejaeghere; Aboukhlal, Dallinga, Chaibi
Rennes possible starting lineup:
Mandanda; Spence, Rodon, Theate, Truffert; Bourigeaud, Santamaria, Tait, Doku; Doue, Gouiri
We say: Toulouse 1-1 Rennes
Toulouse are in a great run of form in 2023 and will not fear facing a Rennes side who have shown weakness in the last couple of weeks.
Les Rennais will be aware of Lille and Lorient chasing them down for a top-five spot this season and this definitely increases the pressure on Genesio's side, although they should be good enough to earn at least a point on Sunday.
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Top tip
Carter White
