Here’s our series. The 5 best reasons to watch a match (with some adjustments here and there). We’ll be highlighting the most appealing aspects before each match with a mix of seriousness and humor. Please note, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive overview. We continue here with the match between Paris Saint-Germain (2nd) and Rennes (5th) this Saturday at the Parc des Princes for Matchday 15 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season (kick-off 9:05 PM, CET).
5 – Is Rennes really ready for Europe?
In the midst of a crisis at the end of October, Rennes is coming off an impressive run: a draw against Toulouse on October 29 (2-2), followed by 4 wins against Strasbourg (4-1), Paris FC (0-1), Monaco (4-1), and Metz (0-1). This has allowed them to climb to 5th place. They’ll need to confirm this new status in Paris, a difficult away match. Be warned, Rennes haven’t exactly dominated their matches, and efficiency might not be enough this time.
4 – Is Ousmane Dembélé truly back?
The 28-year-old striker has played twice since his last injury, but only as a somewhat timid substitute against Tottenham and Monaco. We hope to see Dembélé a bit more enterprising and precise this time. It’s time to kick-start the season. We hope to see him gain momentum tonight.
3 – Bradley Barcola, a rebound expected.
The 23-year-old striker has shown signs of fatigue and has seen his playing time reduced recently after some very mixed performances. He needs to bounce back after having a week to prepare, even if it’s not so easy. In any case, his record during the absences of Désiré Doué (20 years old) and Dembélé hasn’t been very satisfactory. We hope to see him more incisive. This could help bring some rhythm and excitement to the game.
2 – A collective reaction is needed.
While certain individual performances are expected, it’s clear that the entire Parisian team needs to react after last Saturday’s disappointing match in Monaco. It’s understandable that things aren’t perfect at this stage of the season, but we’d like to see more effective pressing, faster play, and more scoring opportunities. Paris cannot be satisfied with second place.
1 – Reclaiming first place.
There’s no crisis or immediate urgency; the season is still long. However, PSG can’t afford to risk letting other teams overtake them. The objective is to be champions; the Parisians cannot be satisfied with anything less. They need to make a strong statement tonight.
