Rennes limps into Monaco tilt

Soccer Betting Lines

11/02/2007 - Rennes, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rennes has been one of the biggest surprises in Ligue 1 to this point, climbing to third in the table and trailing league-leaders Lyon by only four points through 12 games.

The club is currently riding a three-game win streak in league play as well, however a mounting list of injuries will test the team as they take on Monaco on Saturday at Stade dele Route de Lorient.

Both teams will be looking to rebound from losses in the Coupe de la Ligue during the past week, with Rennes falling 2-0 to Valenciennes and Monaco going out to Lens in 2-1 fashion.

Monaco has been a struggling team ever since a positive start to the season, losing five of its last six games. The club is also facing Rennes with the possibility that striker Jeremy Menez will not be fit after suffering a groin injury in midweek. Menez has been one of the club's top scoring threats this season and his loss would be a big blow.

Rennes, meanwhile, has bigger injury concerns with Sylvain Wiltord on the shelf for a month because of a calf problem. Wiltord has started to show top form in recent weeks and his loss will not be easy to overcome.

Midfielder Jerome Leroy is battling a thigh issue and is doubtful to play, meaning that he too could join Wiltord on an injury list that already includes Simon Pouplin, Olivier Thomert and Julien Esteban.

Despite the injuries, Rennes defender Petter Hansson is hopeful that his club can continue its positive start to the campaign.

"We want to stay in this good form for as long as possible," Hansson told the club's website. "Lyon are the big favorites for the league and I think a lot of people believe that as well. We don't know what is going to happen. But we made a good start to the season and I hope that is going to carry on."

In other Ligue 1 action on Saturday, top-four sides Nancy and Bordeaux clash at Stade Marcel Picot, Lille has lost two of its last three and visits Auxerre, Valenciennes has won just once in four games and will have its hands full when the team visits Lyon, while Marseille sits third from the bottom and hosts Lorient. Sochaux has earned just 11 points from 12 games and hits the road to meet Nice, while surprising Strasbourg hopes to improve on its sixth- place standing when the club entertains PSG.

On Sunday, fifth-place Le Mans visits Caen, last-place Metz travels to Toulouse, and Lens, which is currently in 19th place, plays host to St Etienne.

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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