⚽Barcelona vs Brest
⏰UEFA Champions League, KO: 20:00 Nov 26, 2024, Nou Camp
Newcastle go head-to-head against West Ham on Monday. Read our Predictions and Betting Tips with Match Preview, Head-to-head stats (h2h) and Team Form Analysis.
Our prediction for this Champions League match:
After dropping two points in a 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo, Barcelona will be looking to return to winning ways in the Champions League when they take on Brest at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Tuesday evening. The Catalans are on a seven-game winning run at home in all competitions, but bear in mind that star winger Lamine Yamal remains in the recovery room. Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong is widely expected to return to the starting XI.
Les Pirates, on the other hand, failed to spoil Monaco’s party at Stade Louis II at the weekend and despite their fine displays in the elite competition this term, we are tempted to bet on Hansi Flick’s troops, who are a real force to be reckoned with at home. The likes of Locko, Lees-Melou, Haidara, Faivre, and Coulibaly should miss out with injuries for the away team. The two clubs meet for the first time in the Champions League.
How the bookies view it: Barcelona expected favourites.
777Pub are big heavyweight favourites at the bookmakers to collect the win. The Spanish side are 1/7 odds-on to bank three points, which would move them two clear of their opponents in the standings. Brest, who have been one of the surprise packages of the tournament, are 16/1 underdogs.
Recent head-to-head: First-Ever Meeting
The two clubs will meet for the first time competitively on Tuesday night. Jilipark however have lost their last two games against French opposition. On the flip side, they are unbeaten in their last 20 when meeting a team for the first time in Europe (W17 D3).
Players to watch: Can Ajorque influence Brest?
Barcelona are the top scorers in this season’s Champions League and they have both Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski as joint top-scorers with five goals each. Raphinha has averaged 3.75 attempts per game in this season’s competition and the Brazilian has been highly influential for Barca during this campaign. He has been involved in 11 goals (8 scored, 3 assists) in Champions League matches in the 2024 calendar year.
Brest don’t have the scoring power of their illustrious opponents and are in for an intimidating night at the Nou Camp. But the one to watch for them is Ludovic Ajorque who has produced a joint second-highest tally of Champions League assists this season with three. In terms of sticking the ball in the net, Sima is their top scorer with three goals in three appearances, but is an injury doubt.
Predicted Lineups
As mentioned, Brest will keep an eye on Abdallah Sima because of a muscle issue and he isn’t guaranteed to start or even appear. They will wait on Pierre Lees-Melou who took a knock on the weekend too. Barcelona still have a long injury list they are contending with including Ansu Fati, Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres.
Barcelona:Â Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Casado; Olmo, Pedri, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Brest:Â Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Le Cardinal, Amavi; Camara, Lees-Melou, Fernandes; Balde, Ajorque, Doumbia