Brest still have a chance to automatically qualify for the Champions League group stage next season when they conclude the Ligue 1 campaign against Toulouse on Sunday at Stadium de Toulouse.
A 1-1 draw with Reims last Friday has Stade Brestois in fourth, behind Lille on goal difference, while Le Tef are currently 11th thanks to an impressive 3-1 triumph at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Match preview
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It took until the later stages of the season, but Toulouse have started to pick up steam, suffering just one defeat in their last seven top-flight encounters.
Their victory over league champions PSG capped off what has been an impressive stretch of away results for them domestically, winning eight of their final nine matches played as the visitors in this competition.
However, their home form has let them down, with Carles Martinez Novell's men winless in their last four domestic encounters at Stadium de Toulouse, while claiming maximum points in only three Ligue 1 home games this season.
To this stage of the 2023-24 domestic campaign, they have only lost one match when netting multiple times while conceding in all but three matches at home.
Throughout the season, Le Tefece have maintained a solid level of consistency, gaining 1.30 points per game in this competition (43 in 33 fixtures), their highest such average since the 2013-14 campaign (1.34).
Nine of their 11 victories in Ligue 1 this season have occurred in the second half of the domestic campaign, with Les Violets scoring in all but three league matches this year.
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The 2023-24 domestic campaign has been magical for Stade Brestois, who are guaranteed to play in the Champions League qualifiers at the very least.
That means they will play in Europe for the first time in club history, currently on 58 points, 14 more than they had in the previous campaign.
Eric Roy's men still have a chance to claim an automatic place in the Champions League group stage, but they need at least a point on Sunday and hope that Lille do not match or better their result.
Since suffering a 2-0 defeat to Monaco in April, Stade Brestois have picked up at least a point in three successive league contests.
Les Pirates have won two of their last three away matches in this competition and have a chance to triumph in consecutive road contests for the first time in Ligue 1 this year.
A victory on Sunday would be their 200th all-time in the French top flight, while it would also extend their unbeaten run against Toulouse in Ligue 1 to six consecutive matches.
Team News
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Le Tef will be without Moussa Diarra for this match as he must serve a suspension, while Rasmus Nicolaisen is eligible to return after being red-carded in their defeat to Montpellier HSC (2-1).
Novell made two changes to his starting 11 last Sunday, bringing Kevin Keben and Gabriel Suazo into the fold to replace Nicolaisen and Niklas Schmidt.
Goals from Thijs Dallinga, Yann Gboho, and Frank Magri helped Toulouse comfortably defeat the league champions PSG last weekend.
Pierre-Lees Melou will not see the field for Brest this weekend, having recently suffered a broken leg, Romain Del Castillo has a calf injury and Bradley Locko will be suspended.
Roy added a pair of new faces to the opening lineup last Friday against Reims, with Jonas Martin and Jeremy Le Douaron coming into the starting 11, in place of Lees-Melou and Del Castillo.
A first-half stoppage-time goal by Lilian Brassier cancelled out the opener by Reims midfielder Marshall Munetsi, enabling Stade Brestois to collect a single point.
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Keben, Costa, Diarra; Kamanzi, Casseres, Sierro, Suazo; Magri, Dallinga, Gboho
Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Brassier, Cartillier; Martin, Magnetti; Satriano, Lage, Le Douaron; Mounie
We say: Toulouse 2-3 Brest
Brest have been involved in some wildly entertaining games of late away from home, and given that they still have something to play for, we expect to see them push the intensity and find a way to overcome a Toulouse side that have improved a lot in front of goal.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
