Preview: Brest vs. Strasbourg – prediction, team news, line-ups
Sports Mole preview Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Brest and Strasbourg, including predictions, team news and possible line-ups.
Two teams settled in the relegation zone of Ligue 1 will face each other on Sunday at the Stade Francis-Le Blé while Brest be the host of Strasbourg.
With the Pirates hoping to avoid a third successive league defeat, the visitors are still looking to claim their first victory of the new campaign.
Match Preview
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Brest were hoping a point won against Marseille and a 3-1 away win at Angers would kickstart good Ligue 1 form.
However, the Pirates have since suffered back-to-back defeats and conceded 10 goals in the process, with a heavy 7-0 home loss to Montpellier last weekend followed by a 3-1 away loss to Rennes on Wednesday.
Michel Der Zakarian is now tasked with boosting morale within the squad and making sure his team bounces back quickly, although fixtures against Strasbourg and Paris Saint-Germain could prove difficult.
Brest finished 11th last season to secure their best finish in over 30 years, but they now find themselves sitting in the relegation zone with the worst goal difference in the division.
The Pirates have failed to win any of their last four meetings with Strasbourg and suffered defeat in both encounters against them last season, including a 1-0 home defeat in May.
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Strasbourg, meanwhile, are one of three Ligue 1 sides yet to claim maximum points this season and currently sit one place and one point behind Sunday’s opponents Brest.
The Racers have drawn three of their last four games 1-1, including Wednesday’s home clash against Nantes which saw an 85th-minute equalizer in Moustafa Mohamed to cancel Habib Diallothe opening of the first half.
Strasbourg also got off to a slow start in the top flight last season, picking up just one point more at this stage 12 months ago before finishing the campaign in sixth place and just three points behind European positions, so Julien Stephan will not be too worried about the departure of his team.
One concern, however, is their recent away form in Ligue 1 as they have won just one of their last nine league matches on the road, the aforementioned 1-0 victory at Brest at the end of the season. last season.
Strasbourg, who have scored in four of their first five games so far this season, have had plenty of joy in front of goal against Brest over the years as they have scored in 12 of their last 13 encounters against them , so they will hope for more success in the final third on Sunday.
Form Brest Ligue 1:
Strasbourg Ligue 1 form:
Team News
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Brest will remain without a quartet Steve Mounie (heel), Noah Fadiga (ankle), Jeremy Le Douaron (groin) and Roman Del Castillo (hamstring) due to injury, although the latter is closing in on a comeback.
A back four of Jean-Kevin Duverne, Brendan Chardonnet, Ashraf Dari and Lilian Brassier started every game so far this season, and they’re all set to keep their place this weekend, protecting the goalkeeper Marco Bizot.
Former Celtic winger Karamoko Dembele could return to the first XI before either Youcef Belaili Where Mathias Pereira Lagebut the rest of the team should stay the same.
As for Strasbourg, Maxime Le Marchand (head), Lucas Perrin (tendon), Gerzino Nyamsi (hip), Karol Fila (elder), Ibrahima Sissoko (ankle) and Nordine Kandil (muscle) are all excluded with injuries.
Experienced striker Kevin Gameiro could play his 250th appearance in Ligue 1, with Habib Diallo or Ludovic Ajorque accompanying him in the attack.
Possible starting line-up from Brest:
Bizot; Duverne, Dari, Chardonnet, Brassier; Magnetti, Belkebla; Dembélé Honorat, Belaili; Slimani
Possible starting line-up from Strasbourg:
salts; Pierre-Gabriel, Doukouré, Djiku; Delaine, Prcic, Bellegarde, Thomasson, Lienard; Diallo, Gameiro
They say: Brest 1-2 Strasbourg
Both sides are out of form and have struggled defensively so far this season, although they have looked a threat going forward as they have both scored in four of their opening five league games .
We want both teams to score on Sunday, but the visitors could just get past them to climb above their opponents and out of the relegation zone.
For a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match, please click here.
Trick
Our expert forecasting partners at Sportita.com predict less than 2.5 goals in this game. Click here to find out what else they predict for this game and for more of their proven football tips.Under 2.5: data