Two Ligue 1 teams seeking to return to winning ways square off at Stade Auguste-Delaune II on Saturday evening as Reims play host to Brest.
While the hosts were beaten by Auxerre in their most recent top-flight fixture, the visitors shared the spoils with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Match preview
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After accumulating 14 points during a six-game unbeaten run between the end of August and beginning of this month, Reims were condemned to a 2-1 defeat away against Auxerre last weekend, despite dominating the contest with 65% possession.
Japanese winger Keito Nakamura scored for the fifth consecutive Ligue 1 match, but his 95th-minute strike proved to be only a consolation as Les Rouges et Blancs lost their first away game of the campaign.
Four wins, two draws and two defeats have been posted by Reims this term since the appointment of head coach Luka Elsner in June, and his team currently sit sixth in the top-flight table, level on points with fourth-placed Lille and six points adrift of Marseille in third.
Reims will welcome a return to Stade Auguste-Delaune II where they have won four of their last six home matches, but success against Brest has been hard to come by in recent years, having drawn five and lost one of their last six league meetings.
That solitary defeat took place on home soil in September 2023 when Brest came from behind to seal a 2-1 victory en route to securing third spot in Ligue 1 last season - the club's highest-ever top-flight finish.
Since then, the Pirates have made an inconsistent start to the new campaign, winning three, drawing one and losing four of their opening eight league games, most recently drawing 1-1 with Rennes on home soil last weekend after conceding an 86th-minute equaliser.
Eric Roy's side have impressed in their debut Champion League campaign this term, though, picking up seven points in their opening three fixtures, including one claimed in a 1-1 draw with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.
UCL encounters with Sparta Prague and Barcelona are pencilled in for next month, but Brest must now turn their attention back to Ligue 1 where they currently sit 11th in the table, with four points separating them from both the relegation zone and Saturday's opponents Reims.
Brest's form away from home leaves little to be desired, as they have lost all three Ligue 1 matches on the road by an aggregate score of 8-1, although they did cruise to victory in their most recent away match in the Champions League, beating Red Bull Salzburg 4-0 on October 1.
Team News
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Reims trio Mohamed Daramy, Reda Khadra (both knee) and Abdoul Kone (hamstring) all remain sidelined with injuries, but midfielder Yaya Fofana is available for selection after serving a one-match ban last weekend.
Amine Salama is set to lead the line once again in the absence of Daramy and he is likely to be joined in attack by Japanese wingers Nakamura and Junya Ito, while Teddy Teuma, Valentin Atangana Edoa and Marshall Munetsi should all continue in midfield.
As for Brest, Julien Le Cardinal is nursing a groin injury and Bradley Locko remains sidelined with an Achilles problem, but the visitors are able to welcome back left-back Massadio Haidara, who served a domestic suspension last weekend.
Abdallah Sima recovered from a hamstring injury to start and play for 66 minutes in the midweek draw with Leverkusen, and the Brighton & Hove Albion loanee could be fit to start again on Saturday alongside fellow attackers Ludovic Ajorque and Romain Del Castillo - all three have scored a combined eight goals in all competitions this season.
Reims possible starting lineup:
Diouf; Buta, Kipre, Agbadou, Akieme; Munetsi, Edoa; Ito, Teuma, Nakamura; Salama
Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Ndiaye, Amarvi; Camara, Lees-Melou, Magnetti; Del Castillo, Ajorque, Sima
We say: Reims 1-1 Brest
Games involving Reims and Brest have often been tight affairs over the years, with only three of the last 15 meetings seeing more than two goals scored, another closely-fought contest could be in store this weekend.
Although Brest have struggled away from home so far this season, we are backing them to claim at least a share of the spoils with Reims on this occasion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
