In a midfield battle tighter than ever in Ligue 1, Stade Rennes aimed to snatch a golden victory at home, distancing themselves from the pack, while Montpellier looked to gaze upward and avoid slipping into danger zones.

The game kicked off with a goal that hit the visitors like a cold shower, igniting the local stands with a strike from Martín Terrier in the third minute, holding the score at 1-0 by halftime. Just three minutes into the second half, the hosts doubled their lead to 2-0. Although Montpellier narrowed the gap to 2-1 towards the end, it wasn't enough to salvage points.

With this outcome, Rennes maintains their ninth spot, hoping for slip-ups from teams above to close in on European positions, while Montpellier starts to slide down the table, eager to overturn this rough patch.