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 named after Lluis 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 (4-3-3): Inaki Pena – Alex Balde, Jules Kounde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi – Pablo Torre, Pedri, Marc Casado – Lamine Yamal, 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 went on to secure three victories in the Champions League, all with significant margins. At home, Hans Flick's side thrashed Young Boys (5-0) and Bayern (4-1), and then defeated Crvena Zvezda away (5-2). This lifted them to sixth place in the standings. With 15 goals scored, Barcelona is the most prolific team in the Champions League group stage.
Due to injuries, the following players are currently unavailable: goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, forward Ansu Fati, defenders Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, and midfielder Marc Bernal.
- At least three goals have been scored in the last seven games of the Catalans in this tournament.
- Both teams have scored in 9 of Barcelona's last 10 Champions League matches.
- Two or more goals have been scored in the first half of the last five matches involving the Spaniards in the Champions League.
Brest
The French side is in a strong fourth place in the Champions League group stage standings. Eric Roy's men thrashed Salzburg (4-0), defeated Sturm and Sparta Prague 2-1, and drew with Bayer Leverkusen (1-1). Besides Brest, five other clubs remain unbeaten after four rounds. Notably, the team has conceded only three goals, with only six teams having better defensive records.
Midfielders Pierre Lees-Melou and Romain Faivre, as well as defenders Bradley Locko, Soumaila Coulibaly, and Massadio Haidara, will not play due to injuries.
- Brest's uncompromising away streak 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 their last six official matches, the club has drawn in the second half.
Barcelona vs. Brest: Match Prediction
I believe that the French side's unbeaten run in their debut Champions League season is coming to an end. They finally face a top-tier opponent. Previously, Eric Roy's team had three encounters against weaker opponents, and they played Bayer Leverkusen at home. It's important to note that despite their European success, Brest struggles to balance two competitions, which has affected their Ligue 1 results, where they are in the lower half of the table.
The Spaniards are confidently leading in the championship. Despite some defeats in the league, the Catalans have pulled away from Real Madrid, frequently winning in the Champions League and La Liga. Notably, Barcelona's home performance in this tournament is impressive – in the last seven matches, they have secured six victories, losing only once – to PSG in last season's quarter-finals. In this series of matches, the team has scored at least two goals six times. Additionally, they have not dropped points at home in the current La Liga season, winning five matches with a total score of 18-3.
My prediction: Barcelona with a handicap (-2)
