Luis Enrique believes managerless Rennes will provide his Paris Saint-Germain team a huge test as they look to pull further clear at the Ligue 1 summit. 

On Monday, Rennes announced they had sacked Habib Beye after a run of five games without a win in all competitions, which included an exit from the Coupe de France.

Beye averaged 1.53 points in his 36 Ligue 1 matches, the fourth-highest tally, but with the club sixth in the table, he was surprisingly dismissed. 

The Senegalese coach held the second-highest win percentage (44.4% - 16/36) in the top flight with Rennes, behind only Bruno Genesio (49.5% – 49/99).

But with just 11 points separating Rennes from a top-three spot in the league, Luis Enrique insisted that his team would not underestimate the challenge awaiting them. 

"Rennes are struggling, but they're always a tough team to play against," Luis Enrique said. "Our aim is to keep putting pressure on Lens and Marseille in the league table."

PSG, meanwhile, ensured they remained two points clear at the summit after thumping Marseille, who sacked Roberto De Zerbi after the 5-0 defeat. 

Ousmane Dembele started with two goals and an assist, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-In and an own-goal from Facundo Medina sealed an emphatic triumph. 

The European champions have now won each of their last seven matches in Ligue 1, the joint-longest current run in the top five European leagues (level with Real Madrid). 

PSG's clash is the start of a hectic fixture list to end February, with league fixtures against Metz and Le Havre coming either side of their Champions League play-off first and second legs with fellow Ligue 1 side Monaco. 

"Our rest time depends on our schedule and on a lot of other things," Luis Enrique added on the fitness of his squad. 

"This season is a very unique one because we only had three weeks off after a very long 2024–2025 campaign.

"For me, the time that we spend working on the pitch is important, but it's also important to enjoy what you're doing, and getting rest is one of the keys to that in my opinion."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rennes – Arnaud Nordin

Arnaud Nordin could make his 200th Ligue 1 appearance (126 with St Etienne, 72 with Montpellier, 1 with Rennes).

He is one of six players to have been involved in at least one goal in each of the last eight Ligue 1 seasons, along with Romain Del Castillo, Benjamin Andre, Adrien Thomasson, Aleksandr Golovin and Ludovic Blas.

PSG – Ousmane Dembele

Dembele has been involved in five goals in as many matches against Rennes in Ligue 1 (two goals, three assists), and he will be out to hurt his old side again. 

Indeed, both of the Ballon d'Or winners' goals against his former employers were scored in second-half added time during his last visit to Roazhon Park in March 2025.

MATCH PREDICTION: PSG WIN

PSG have won three games by a margin of 5+ goals in all competitions in 2025-26. Only Bayern Munich (four) have managed more among clubs in Europe's top five leagues.

But Luis Enrique's team come up against a Rennes side that have scored at least one goal in each of their last 10 home games against PSG in all competitions, netting 13 goals.

However, Rennes have lost each of their last three Ligue 1 games, as many as they had in their first 18 games this season (W8 D7), which resulted in Beye's dismissal. 

And Rennes may fancy their chances of a result here. They are one of four teams to have beaten PSG as many as seven times during the QSI era (seven wins in 34 matches). 

Rennes have not won any of their last six Ligue 1 encounters against the Parisiens (D1 L5), though, and they may need to stop the Ligue 1 leaders shooting from distance. 

That is because PSG have scored the most goals from outside the box in Ligue 1 this season (10), while no team has scored fewer than Rennes (one).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Rennes – 17.3%

Draw – 20%

PSG – 62.7%