After a bruising week that saw them eliminated from the UEFA Europa League and beaten by relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne, Paulo Fonseca’s side started quickly as they looked to get back on the winning trail.
Les Gones needed just eight minutes to take the lead through Malick Fofana, who cut onto his right and rifled a shot into the top corner from just inside the area.
Armed with momentum, Lyon had no intention of letting Rennes off the hook, scoring twice more before half-time.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles picked out Corentin Tolisso on the edge of the box, and the midfielder expertly fired home his third goal in seven appearances.
Alexandre Lacazette got in on the act in the first half’s closing stages, finishing off a swift move with a brilliant finish into the top corner for a fifth goal in as many personal matches against Rennes.
Rennes had a mountain to climb after the restart, but their ascent began within five minutes when half-time substitute Mohamed Meite netted his second goal in as many games to spread tension around the Groupama Stadium.
Fears of being on the receiving end of a second miraculous comeback in three matches must’ve been on the minds of the home fans, but Lyon retained their composure here, limiting Rennes’ opportunities to test Lucas Perri.
Lyon put any doubts to bed in the closing stages, restoring their three-goal lead through Georges Mikautadze, who fired into the roof of the net to move into double figures for Ligue 1 goals this term.
The home side cruised from there, with this the perfect response to back-to-back defeats. The result has little consequence on Rennes’ season, though the mid-table side’s two-match winning run was unceremoniously ended here.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Thiago Almada (Lyon)