Brest vs Nantes Preview: Team News & Prediction
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After producing one of the most remarkable stories in European football last season, Stade Brest have regressed domestically as they now face relegation-threatened Nantes.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 15th December, 2024: UK – 4:00pm / US ET – 11:00am / US PT – 8:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
Brest Preview: Brest’s resilience
Stade Brest begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting firmly in the middle-of-the-table with five victories, a draw and eight defeats. It is a decline from last season’s third place finish but, in isolation and relative terms, that is a more than reasonable record for Brest.
Former Sunderland player Eric Roy has prioritised their fairytale run in the UEFA Champions League but their domestic form is hurting. They come into this one on the back of a 3-1 loss to Lille last weekend to mean they have suffered four defeats in five Ligue 1 matches.
Nantes Preview: Fighting against a crisis
Antoine Kombouare returned to be Nantes’ third permanent manager of the campaign after the sackings of Pierre Aristouy and Jocelyn Gourvennac last summer. He has been impressive in keeping them up but supporters have massively protested this season as they struggle.
A couple of weeks ago, there was a pitch invasion after the Canaries lost 2-0 at home to Le Havre. However, the visitors have since collected four points from tough games with a 1-1 draw away to Paris Saint-Germain before edging past Stade Rennais by a goal to nil last weekend.
Brest Team News: Key absentees
Key attacker Ludovic Ajorque is missing through suspension for this weekend, whilst the likes of Soumaila Coulibaly and Bradley Locko are out injured at the back with injury issues in midfield, too, such as Jonas Martin, Pierre Lees-Melou and Romain Faivre. Julien Le Cardinal, meanwhile, picked up a knock in the Champions League win over PSV on Tuesday and is doubtful for this one.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Bizot; Zogbe, Chardonnet, Ndiaye, Haidara; Camara, Magnetti; Balde, Doumbia, Pereira Lage; Sima
Unavailable: Coulibaly (Injured), Locko (Injured), Martin (Injured), Lees-Melou (Injured), Ajorque (Suspended)
Questionable: Le Cardinal (Injured), Lala (Injured), Faivre (Injured)
Nantes Team News: Couple of issues
Zimbabwe international attacker Tino Kadewere is a key injury doubt for Nantes this weekend after missing last weekend’s defeat of Rennes. They also have Adel Mahamoud unavailable due to a knee injury.
Predicted XI (5-3-2): Carlgren; Amian, Castelletto, Zeze, Pallois, Cozza; Lepenant, Pedro Chirivella, Douglas Augusto; Abline, Simon
Unavailable: Mahamoud (Injured)
Questionable: Kadewere (Injured)
Brest vs Nantes Prediction
Brest were generally reactive throughout last season but they have been a little more chaotic since the end of last season. They will want to get back to being able to shut teams down with a bit more effectiveness as they now prepare to welcome a Nantes side that have a very limited side both in defence and attack. As a result, it is expected to be a low-scoring encounter with fewer than three or four goals for this one.
Brest vs Nantes Tip: Under 2.5 goals
