Chelsea vs. Rennes Betting Preview – Champions League, November 4, 2020

Following a shaky start to the 2020/21 campaign, a rejuvenated Chelsea team has the opportunity to extend their unbeaten streak to seven games when Rennes visits Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, November 4.

The English side sits top of Group E following a win and a draw in the Champions League this season. At the other end of the standings, Rennes is bottom with just a single point to show for their efforts.

I assess the bookies’ odds before sharing my Chelsea vs. Rennes prediction and betting pick.

It is no secret that Chelsea (1.33) has upped their game in recent weeks, but I still expected the odds gap to be smaller for this game. Rennes (9.00) may be missing a couple of key players due to injury, but the French team is certainly no pushover.

I assess both sides’ chance below.

After a tricky spell earlier in the season, it finally feels like Frank Lampard is beginning to get the best out of his team. There was a host of high-profile arrivals during the summer transfer window, and the new stars appear to be settling in nicely.

October was a superb period for Chelsea. The Blues played six games in all competitions last month, picking up three wins and three draws. Not only are Lampard’s men unbeaten in their previous six outings, they also head into Wednesday’s clash on the back of four straight clean sheets.

Following goalless draws with Sevilla (Champions League) and Manchester United (EPL), Chelsea thrashed Russian side Krasnodar 4-0 last week. On Saturday, the Blues claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Burnley, taking them to within four points of frontrunner Liverpool.

Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech each contributed two goals and one assist in the previous two outings. When you couple Chelsea’s potent forward line with the team’s recent defensive record, Rennes is likely to struggle to deal with the English side.

We're back in action on Wednesday! #MondayMotivation ? pic.twitter.com/vXVgHtaJy0

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 2, 2020

Edouard Mendy joined Chelsea from Rennes in September, and while the Blues have clearly benefitted from the goalkeeper’s arrival, it’s safe to say that Julien Stephan’s teams is missing their former shot-stopper.

The Black & Reds gained a glowing reputation for their defensively solidity last season, but they have only managed to keep one clean sheet in nine top-flight outings this term.

Having said that, Rennes has lost just one domestic game in 2020/21. Five wins and three draws have kept the Brittany outfit within touching distance of PSG at the top of Ligue 1, although Rennes has only clinched one victory in their previous five encounters in all competitions.

With Juventus loanee Daniele Rugani and last season’s top scorer M’Baye Niang joining teenage sensation Eduardo Camavinga on the sidelines, the Black & Reds are seriously understrength at the moment.

Chelsea is on a roll right now, so I can’t see Rennes ending the Blues’ six-game unbeaten streak on Wednesday. The French side will be without a number of their star performers this week, and that is only going to make their task more difficult.

I’m not sure it will be as straightforward as the bookies’ odds suggest, but I’m confident that Chelsea will secure all three points.