Barcelona vs Brest Preview: Team News & Prediction

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It has been a magnificent start to the reign of Hansi Flick and they will look to continue that as La Liga leaders Barcelona welcome Stade Brest to Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys this week.

Kick-off date/time: Tuesday 26th November, 2024: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Cannot be televised

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Barcelona Preview: Belligerent Barca

Former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Hansi Flick is in charge of a Barcelona side that have scored 57 goals in 18 matches across all competitions so far this season but their 2-2 draw at Balaidos against Celta at the weekend followed a 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad before the break.

The Blaugrana started their UEFA Champions League league phase campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Monaco at Stade Louis II but have since ran rampant with 14 goals scored and just three conceded against Young Boys, Bayern Munich and Crvena Zvezda.

Brest Preview: Brilliant Brest

Under the management of former Sunderland player Eric Roy, Stade Brest stunned everyone to finish third and qualify automatically for the UEFA Champions League from Ligue 1 despite having one of the smallest budgets in France’s top-flight.

Brest come into this one on the back of a 3-2 defeat to the aforementioned Monaco in Monaco at the weekend. They have endured three successive defeats in Ligue 1 but collected ten points from four matches in this season’s UEFA Champions League as their fairytale continues.

Barcelona Team News: The Lamine Yamal issue

Relying on a 17-year-old isn’t a great thing and performances have dipped since Lamine Yamal picked up an injury. As well as the outstanding wonderkid being unavailable, the likes of Ronald Araujo and Marc Bernal are also sidelined for the Catalans. Alex Balde is in the squad but unlikely to finish with Gerard Martin likely to fill in at left-back.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Casado; Olmo, Pedri, Raphinha; Lewandowski

Unavailable: Christensen (Injured), Garcia (Injured), Araujo (Injured), Bernal (Injured), Fati (Injured), Yamal (Injured)

Questionable: Balde (Injured), Torres (Injured)

Brest Team News: Midfield issues

Frustratingly, Pierre Lees-Melou had recovered from injury but is now once again sidelined for Brest alongside former Newcastle United defender Massadio Haidara as well as AFC Bournemouth loanee Romain Faivre.

Predicted XI (4-3-2-1): Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Ndiaye, Amavi; Camara, Magnetti, Fernandes; Balde, Doumbia; Ajorque

Unavailable: Haidara (Injured), Coulibaly (Injured), Lees-Melou (Injured), Faivre (Injured)

Questionable:

Key Stats

Barcelona have won six of their last seven UEFA Champions League home games (L1).
Barcelona have won their last five UEFA Champions League group/league phase matches at home.
Barcelona have won their last ten matches at home in all competitions.
Barcelona have won their last three UEFA Champions League matches. They have not won four successive UEFA competition matches since the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League group stage when they started the campaign with five wins in a row.
Barcelona have scored four or more goals in three successive European Cup/UEFA Champions League matches (all rounds) for the second time. They previously did so in the 1959/60 season. They have never scored four or more goals in four successive UEFA competition matches,
Only one of Barcelona’s previous 30 UEFA competition matches against French teams finished without a goal being scored. That was in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League round of 16 against Lyon.
Robert Lewandowski needs one goal to become the third player to reach the landmark of 100 goals scored in the UEFA Champions League proper, in what would be his 125th appearance. Lionel Messi reached the total in 123 appearances, Cristiano Ronaldo did so in 137 appearances.
Raphinha has scored eight goals in his last six appearances in the UEFA Champions League proper.
Brest have won three and drawn one of their previous four UEFA Champions League matches in their debut campaign in European competition.
Brest have scored in the first half in each of their previous four UEFA Champions League matches this season.

Barcelona vs Brest Prediction

As mentioned, Barcelona have had a magnificent season in front of goal but their high-line was breached a few times without consequence a few weeks ago and is now, off the back of indifferent performances in their last two games, in the firing line. Brest will sit back, though, and may not cause the defensive line too many issues here with it also being a free hit thanks to their own bright start to the UEFA Champions League campaign.

Barcelona vs Brest Tip: Barcelona to win & over 2.5 goals