Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Brest and Toulouse, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Brest return to domestic matters after a historic midweek win when they host Toulouse at the Stade Francis-Le Ble on Sunday.
On their Champions League debut on Thursday, Brest recorded a 2-1 win over Sturm Graz, sparking jubilant scenes despite playing in Guingamp, over an hour away from their home venue.
Match preview
© Imago
For the first time in a generation, Brest took to the field in a European fixture in midweek, and it just so happened to be in the Champions League, and they took all three points against the Austrian champions.
It is still remarkable how a club who slipped out of the professional leagues entirely for 15 years, and had not finished in the top half of Ligue 1 since 1990, managed to finish third last season, but they have now given themselves an incredible opportunity to reach the knockout stage.
Brest were fully deserving of their three points too, as Abdallah Sima scored the winner after an unfortunate Edmilson Fernandes own goal had cancelled out Hugo Magnetti‘s opener.
Had it not been for Sima’s fellow Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Kjell Scherpen in the Sturm goal, Brest could have been out of sight late on, but Eric Roy‘s side held on for the 2-1 win.
That could be the catalyst to kickstart Brest’s season, as they enter the weekend with just three points from their opening four games.
Following on from last season’s heroics was always going to be difficult, and Roy must ensure he can keep his side focused on domestic matters in the midst of some huge fixtures in Europe.
The last time Brest lost as many games in their opening four games, they were relegated in 1979-80, and they are only above the drop zone on goal difference at present, but it is still very early in the campaign.
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Rediscovering their outstanding home form from last season will be key, with Brest coming into this game having lost only two of their previous 14 Ligue 1 matches at the Francis-Le Ble, one of which was against Marseille on the opening day.
Since returning to the top flight in 2019, Brest have faced Toulouse six times and they are still yet to taste defeat, winning three, drawing three and scoring an impressive 14 goals.
That is in stark contrast to the head-to-head results between the sides prior to this current six-game run, as Brest had only won one of the first 22 meetings in Ligue 1.
Toulouse should feel confident of ending their current winless run after claiming their first victory of the season last weekend, getting the better of a resolute Le Havre team by two goals to nil.
That was their 10th league win of 2024, meaning as it stands, Toulouse currently have their best win percentage in a calendar year since 1953.
After a slow start though, they remain in the bottom half heading into the weekend, but only a potential win away from moving into the European places.
Brest Ligue 1 form:
Brest form (all competitions):
Toulouse Ligue 1 form:
Team News
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A broken leg is set to keep Brest’s Pierre Lees-Melou out for the foreseeable future, while Bradley Locko is also not expected to return until the new year after sustaining an Achilles injury.
Brest added a huge influx of players to their squad to handle their European commitments, and all are in contention to feature, with Fernandes and Sima already regulars, and Ibrahim Salah and Mama Balde knocking on the door.
Massadio Haidara was given a start away to Paris Saint-Germain last weekend, but was dropped in midweek and could remain on the bench here.
A late raid on Fenerbahce saw Toulouse add Josh King and exciting Slovenian playmaker Miha Zajc to their squad late in the summer window, and the latter could make his full debut here.
Frank Magri may return to the visiting XI after he served a one-match suspension last weekend following a red card against Marseille, but faces competition from King, Shavy Babicka and Yann Gboho.
After netting the opening goal against Le Havre off the bench, Babicka should finally be given a first start of the season, having also scored as a sub against Marseille and Nice before the international break.
Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Coulibaly, Amavi; Camara, Fernandes, Magnetti; Faivre, Ajorque, Sima
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Sidibe, Nicolaisen, McKenzie; Kamanzi, Sierro, Schmidt, Donnum; Zajc, Babicka, Gboho
We say: Brest 1-2 Toulouse
Having given so much to get over the line in such an emotionally-charged encounter in the Champions League on Thursday, Brest may be slightly leggy against a much fresher Toulouse side who enter the game on the back of a good win last weekend.
An underwhelming start suggests Brest will not hit the same heights as last season, and another defeat here will have them awkwardly looking over their shoulder.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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