St-Etienne vs Rennes Odds & Pick: French Cup Semifinals
- St. Etienne and Rennes meet in the semifinals of the Coupe de France on Thursday
- Rennes pegged as underdogs in bid to return to French Cup Final for a second straight year
- See the odds, analysis and best bet for this Coupe de France semifinals match below
Stade Rennais FC will be aiming to punch their ticket to the French Cup final for a second straight year when they visit AS Saint-Etienne on Thursday, March 5 at 2:55 pm EST as narrow +167 underdogs in the French Cup odds.
St. Etienne vs Rennes Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline Odds | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Etienne | pk (-112) | +159 | O 2, 2.5 (+102) |
| Rennes | pk (-108) | +167 | U 2, 2.5 (-106) |
Odds taken Mar. 2
Rennes Vying for Second Straight Finals Berth
Rennes have enjoyed an impressive run in French Cup play as they make a bid for a second straight title. The club has kept clean sheets on three occasions during their four-match march to the semifinal, and have filled the net with 10 total goals in three tournament outings ahead of Thursday afternoon’s St-Etienne vs Rennes matchup at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
👀 Les #RougeEtNoir conservent la troisième place après cette 27e journée de championnat.
—#AllezRennes#ToutDonner 💪🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/xAXCMVeuSb— Stade Rennais F.C. (@staderennais) March 2, 2020
But while the Red and Blacks have produced steady results in the French Cup, they have struggled to produce steady results elsewhere. The club sports a middling 3-1-2 win-draw-loss record in their past six outings across all competitions, and have struggled to remain above the line on the Ligue 1 table. Rennes have posted wins in just four of their past nine league matches, including a 1-1-2 record in their past four road dates, capped by this past weekend’s 2-0 road win over last-place Toulouse.
Injuries Remain a Concern
Injuries have emerged as a massive problem for Rennes this season. The club could have as many as seven players sidelined by injury including veteran defender Jeremy Morel, midfielder Clement Grenier, and promising youngster Yann Gboho.
The two sides have also played to draws in each of their past six meetings in St-Etienne. Goals have come at a premium in dates at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, with the total topping 2.0 just once over their past eight.
However, Rennes have enjoyed steady success in head-to-head matchups with St-Etienne. The club has topped St-Etienne in each of their past two league meetings, outscoring the Greens by a 5-1 margin in a pair of victories on home turf. The two sides have also played to draws in each of their past six meetings in St-Etienne. Goals have come at a premium in dates at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, with the total topping 2.0 just once over their past eight.
St. Etienne vs Rennes Head-to-Head Stats
| 9 | Wins | 15 |
| 18 | Draws | 18 |
| 9 | Losses | 15 |
| 34 | Goals | 49 |
| 45 | Points | 63 |
St. Etienne Mired in Epic Slump
While the Red and Blacks aim to continue the dominating play in this tournament that earned them their first French Cup title in 48 years last season, St-Etienne looks to overcome a dismal run of their own as they prepare for Thursday’s contest pegged as narrow +159 favorites.
The Greens are coming off a disappointing 2-0 loss to Olympique Lyonnais in league play this past weekend, extending their current run of futility to 1-1-5 in their past seven matches across all competitions. St-Etienne has surrendered 13 total goals during their current slide, contributing to slide to +900 longshots in the French Cup championship odds.
Home Field No Advantage
Home field has provided no advantage for St-Etienne of late. The club has recorded just one win in their past five home dates while getting outscored by a wide 10-3 margin during that stretch.
[#CDF 🏆] St-Etienne se sort du piège Epinal (1-2) et rejoint Rennes en demi-finale de la Coupe de France.
Analyse et notes de #SASASSE 👉 https://t.co/S98No28gMJ pic.twitter.com/7URRYyBcHX
— MadeInFOOT (@madeinfoot) February 13, 2020
The Greens also take a checkered French Cup history into Thursday’s match, falling to defeat in two of their past three tournament contests played on home turf, casting further doubt over their ability to advance to their first French Cup final since 1982.
Pick: Rennes +167; Over 2, 2.5 (+102)
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
