Matchday 5 of the 2024/25 Champions League group stage between Barcelona (Spain) and Brest (France) will take place on November 26 at the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys. Barcelona vs. Brest: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Irfan Peljto (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Matches – 13 (International matches, 2023/24–2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 46;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.5;
Red cards shown – 4;
Average fouls per match – 20;
Penalties – 38%.
Predicted lineups for Barcelona vs. Brest
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Iñaki Peña – Alejandro Balde, Jules Koundé, Iñigo Martínez, Pau Cubarsi – Pedri, Marc Casadó – Gavi, Dani Olmo, Raphinha Dias – Robert Lewandowski.
Brest (4-3-3): Marco Bizot – Kenny Lala, Brendan Chardonnet, Jordan Amavi, Julien Le Cardinal – Mahdi Camara, Hugo Magnetti, Kamory Doumbia – Abdallah Sima, Ludovic Ajorque, Romain Del Castillo.
Barcelona
After an unexpected defeat in the first round against Monaco (1-2), the Catalans regrouped and secured three victories in the Champions League, all with large margins. At home, Hans Flick's side demolished Young Boys (5-0) and Bayern Munich (4-1), and then overcame Red Star Belgrade away (5-2). This lifted them to sixth place in the standings. With 15 goals scored, Barcelona also became the highest-scoring team in the group stage of the Champions League.
Due to injuries, goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, forwards Lamine Yamal and Ansu Fati, defenders Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen, and midfielder Marc Bernal are unavailable.
- At least three goals have been scored in Barcelona's last seven matches in this tournament.
- Both teams scored in 9 of Barcelona's last 10 Champions League games.
- Two or more goals were scored in the first half of Barcelona's last five Champions League matches.
Brest
The French side is in a high fourth place in the group stage standings of the Champions League. Éric Roy's team thrashed Salzburg (4-0), defeated Sturm Graz and Sparta Prague 2-1, and drew with Bayer Leverkusen (1-1). Besides Brest, only five clubs remain unbeaten after four rounds. The team has conceded only three goals, with only six teams boasting a better defensive record.
Midfielders Pierre Lees-Melou and Romain Faivre, as well as defenders Bradley Locko, Soumaïla Coulibaly, and Massadio Haïdara, will miss out due to injuries.
- Brest's uncompromising away record in the Champions League and Ligue 1 stands at 13 matches (7 wins and 6 losses).
- At least three goals have been scored in Brest's last six away matches in the Champions League and Ligue 1.
- In Brest's last six official matches, the second half ended in a draw.
Barcelona vs. Brest: Match Prediction
I believe the unbeaten run of the French side in their debut Champions League season is coming to an end. They finally face a top-tier opponent. Previously, Éric Roy's side had three matches against weaker opponents, and they played Bayer Leverkusen at home. It's also worth noting that Brest cannot handle two tournaments simultaneously, as reflected in their Ligue 1 results – the club is in the lower half of the table.
The Spaniards are confidently leading in La Liga. The club has already faced defeats in La Liga, yet the Catalans have slightly pulled away from Real Madrid. It's also important to mention how Barcelona performs at home in the Champions League – in their last seven matches, they have won six times, losing only once to PSG in the quarter-finals last season. In this series, the team scored at least two goals six times. Moreover, Barcelona has not dropped points at home in the current La Liga, winning five matches with a total score of 18-3.
My prediction: Barcelona with a handicap (-2)
