Chelsea score predictions vs. Rennes: 7 points through 3 UCL games

Chelsea hosts Rennes as the Blues take on their final UCL opponent for the first time, but what are The Pride of London’s score predictions?

Chelsea has turned around its season over the last few weeks. The question has now shifted from “will the Blues get a result?” to “how many clean sheets will the Blues string together?” Former Rennes keeper Edouard Mendy will attract all the headlines in this one for multiple reasons. First, the obvious connection to both sides and second, his incredible start at Stamford Bridge. However, there are many other hidden storylines here.

Chelsea hasn’t won its Champions League group either of the last two European campaigns, but beating Rennes would be a step in the right direction. The Blues are overwhelming favorites, what do The Pride of London staffers think the score will be?

Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 4-0 Chelsea

The Blues are flying at the moment. They have a defense that has forgotten what it is like to concede goals, a goalkeeper that is swimming in clean sheets and attackers that opposing defenses find it impossible to deal with. Long may it last. Hakim Ziyech has become the creative outlet that he was touted to be in his first two starts. Mendy will look forward to going against his former club as Chelsea seems to have finally found the balance between attacking and defending. Rennes is bottom of the Champions League, but third in Ligue 1. In the end though, the Blues will prove too much for Rennes to handle.

Barrett Rouen: 3-1 Chelsea

Mike Malley: 3-0 Chelsea

Ah, the Mendy revenge game. The Blues’ new No. 1 keeper has been a huge difference maker for the defense since his arrival from the French club. If Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma are in front of him, Mendy will be expecting another clean sheet and all three points.

Wilfred Laurence: 2-0 Chelsea

With extra motivation to keep that clean sheet streak going, there’s no way Mendy lets up here. This is also a big game for Olivier Giroud. After the French club tried in vain to sign him as part of the Mendy deal, there’s no way he doesn’t come off the bench to net both goals and remind fans of his rightful place amongst all the other attacking superstars, because he’s always better in the Motherland. Allons enfants de la Patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé!

Oliver Smith: 4-1 Chelsea

The attacking players have been getting a lot of the applause as of late, and rightly so. The Blues’ attack is starting to gel and flow and this time, the only difference will be in the players, with Tammy Abraham netting a brace, Callum Hudson-Odoi devastating on the wing and Giroud potting the fourth as Timo Werner earns a well deserved rest. Being confident in this Chelsea defence is a strange feeling and, despite Antonio Rudiger—who should draw back into the side—Rennes will snatch a goal. A late Billy Gilmour appearance, perhaps?

Scott Brant: 2-0 Chelsea

The Blues will win and get the all-important three points that really separates them from the bottom two in the group. I expect a strong line-up offensively and defensively with Silva and Mendy being huge towards most clean sheets. Timo and Tammy (TnT) both to net a goal, scoreline looks prettier than the win itself, but they all count the same.

Matt Hancock-Bruce: 3-1 Chelsea

Another Ziyech masterclass on the way, he’ll lead the Blues to another confident victory and don’t be surprised if CHO chips in with another cup goal. That said, Rennes has some exciting players and there’s still a few kinks in the Chelsea defence, so a sixth consecutive clean sheet for Mendy might be a stretch too far.

Abhishek Pancholi: 4-0 Chelsea

Mendy watches on as his new team demolishes his old one in style.

Kevin Peacock: 2-0 Chelsea

It’s all beginning to fall into place at the Bridge for Frank Lampard, though it will be Mendy in the spotlight as he faces his former teammates for the first time since his move. The keeper has been the catalyst that has seen Chelsea’s defensive issues ease and with the attack gelling, Rennes could be in for a difficult evening. No European games are easy, but the Blues will have enough to secure the win with Kai Havertz and Werner grabbing the goals.

Joel Kristian Frederick Burton: 3-1 Chelsea

I was tempted to go for another clean sheet, but I think the law of averages suggest the Blues might concede a goal at some point. In addition, Chelsea will need to keep an eye on Rennes’ young starlet, Eduardo Camavinga, as this might be the time when he decides to introduce himself on the world stage. However, continuing to play in a 4-3-3 with the same team that started against Burnley, Chelsea should be too much for Rennes, even without Christian Pulisic available.

Nate Hofmann: 3-1 Chelsea

Rennes only had one sure-fire way of keeping Chelsea off the scoreboard, and that hope died when Marina Granovskaia whisked Mendy across the English Channel. With the world’s best goalkeeper at the back, and plenty of attacking depth at the ready, Lampard should be able to put out a strong team that can dispatch Rennes without any issues. I’ll bet on Mendy to ship one goal to his former employers though, just for old time’s sake.

Travis Tyler: 2-0 Chelsea

Rennes has thus far been hard to score on in the Champions League, but Sevilla created a ton of chances it just couldn’t finish. The Blues won’t get much more luck, but they will get enough to see themselves away comfortably.

Gabe Henderson: 3-0 Chelsea

Another comfortable midweek bout for the Blues. Mendy keeps a clean sheet and some familiar faces grab some goals on the other end.

Varun Dani: 3-0 Chelsea

The clean sheet streak will stay alive while the attack will get sharper in this all-important UCL tie. Lampard will want to grab a foot-hold on the group to avoid any late pressure to qualify, and Hudson-Odoi’s return to the line up will ensure just that.

What is your score prediction for the match? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!