Angers vs Brest Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Following their promotion to the top-flight, Angers are hovering just above the bottom three and the danger zone as they now face a Stade Brest side that are enjoying a fairytale campaign.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 5th January, 2025: UK – 2:00pm / US ET – 9:00am / US PT – 6:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
Angers Preview: Angers still struggling
Angers begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting just outside of the danger zone, which will be seen as a major overachievement considering the fact they didn’t earn their first Ligue 1 win of the campaign until October, following their promotion last season.
The home team come into this one on the back of a slender 1-0 defeat of FC 93 BBG in the Round of 64 of the Coupe de France a few weeks ago. The hosts have, though, suffered four defeats in their last five matches in the league, though.
Brest Preview: Brest still overperforming
Coached by former Sunderland player Eric Roy, Stade Brest produced one of the best stories in European football last season as they finished third and qualified for the UEFA Champions League with Brest now pushing for knockout qualification in that competition.
That fairytale story on the continent has been balanced against the fact they have regressed in the league but even being comfortably mid-table, which they are, is a more than reasonable spot for them to be in if it wasn’t for their massive overachievement last season.
Angers Team News: Several injuries
Angers are dealing with several injury concerns ahead of the visit of Brest this weekend. Jim Allevinah is sidelined alongside other key men such as Farid El Melali, Emmanuel Biumla and Justin-Noel Kalumba.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Fofana; Arcus, Bamba, Lefort, Hanin; Aholou, Belkelba; Belkhdim, Abdelli, Raolisoa; Niane
Unavailable:
Questionable: El Melali (Injured), Biumla (Injured), Allevinah (Injured), Kalumba (Injured), Cherif (Injured)
Brest Team News: A few issues
Reported Tottenham Hotspur target Bradley Locko is unavailable for this weekend due to an Achilles injury. As well as the absence of Locko, Jonas Martin is sidelined with several other key doubts like Pierre Lees-Melou and Julien Le Cardinal.
Predicted XI (4-1-2-1-2): Coudert; Lala, Chardonnet, Ndiaye, Haidara; Fernandes; Camara, Magnetti; Doumbia; Del Castillo, Balde
Unavailable: Locko (Injured), Martin (Injured)
Questionable: Le Cardinal (Injured), Coulibaly (Injured), Lees-Melou (Injured)
Angers vs Brest Prediction
Ligue 1 isn’t necessarily one of the most entertaining leagues in the world and that was perhaps shown by all three of the newly-promoted teams, Angers, Auxerre and Saint-Etienne, adapting reasonably well to the division in the opening few months of the campaign, all three with reactive and defensive styles. Brest are pragmatic themselves with Eric Roy moulding something special out of a relatively ordinary group of players and a low-scoring away win would appear a good value bet for this one at Stade Raymond Kopa.
Angers vs Brest Tip: Brest to win & under 3.5 goals
