Sixth-placed Barcelona welcomed fourth-placed Brest at Lluis Companys in a battle for the top spot of the Champions League 2024/25 League Phase.
BAR vs BRT Match Details
Date: Tuesday, 26 November 2024 / Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Time: 21:00 (CET), 01:30 (IST)
Venue: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona
BAR vs BRT Match Preview
Barcelona faced disappointment for consecutive games in La Liga after losing a two-goal first-half lead by conceding twice in the last 10 minutes to draw 2-2 with Celta Vigo. The collapse happened when Marc Casado received his second yellow card in the 82nd minute, leaving his side fragile to the opposition’s comeback stance. Before the international break, Hansi Flick’s team also lost 1-0 to Real Sociedad, controversially. Barcelona remains at the top of the standings, but their lead is now cut to five points. The Catalan giants don’t want their recent domestic slump to affect their excellent form continentally where they have amassed nine points from four games holding the sixth spot. A fourth straight win in the competition will lift them to the top of the table, a chance they could not miss, but they face tricky visitors Brest having a wonderful debut campaign. The Spanish side will rely on their sparkling home form this season having won all their games at Lluis Companys in the league and dismantled Young Boys and Bayern Munich continetally. Despite losing to another Ligue 1 outfit Monaco in the competition opener and being eliminated by PSG last season, Flick’s side are confident of winning the clash having won nine of the previous 14 meetings with French sides at home.
Stade Brest’s qualification for the Champions League was a fairytale itself, but they did not stop there. Eric Roy's side find themselves fourth in the League Phase table staying unbeaten in the first four games, winning three of them. Their impressive showing has kept them four points clear in the direct qualification zone and just two behind the leaders Liverpool. Les Pirates are the best-performing team among the five clubs debuting in the competition this season and are also among the teams to have not lost a single game continentally so far. Brest also held Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen last month giving them optimism to face the La Liga leaders in Spain who have shown signs of struggle recently. However, Brest are facing a rough form themselves losing back-to-back matches in the league and winning just twice in the last seven games in all competitions. They have won just once away from home domestically although secured two big wins on the travel in the Champions League. Brest will face PSV, Shakhtar Donetsk and holders Real Madrid after taking on Barcelona putting their remarkable run into severe test now.
BAR vs BRT Recent Form (all competitions)
BAR: WWWLD
BRT: WLWLL
BAR vs BRT Recent Form (Champions League)
BAR: LWWW
BRT: WWDW
BAR vs BRT Predicted Lineups
Barcelona
Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Casado; Olmo, Pedri, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Brest
Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Le Cardinal, Amavi; Camara, Lees-Melou, Fernandes; Balde, Ajorque, Doumbia
BAR vs BRT Dream11 Top picks
Captain Pick: Robert Lewandowski
Vice-captain Pick: Raphinha
BAR vs BRT Dream11 Team Suggestion
GK: Bizot (Cr - 7.5)
DEF: Koundé (Cr - 8.5), Martinez (Cr - 8.5), Lala (Cr - 7.5)
MID: Casado (Cr - 8), Camara (Cr - 9), Pedri (Cr - 8), Olmo (Cr - 7.5)
FW: Ajorque (Cr - 8.5) , Lewandowski (Cr - 9), Raphinha (Cr - 9)
Vice-captain: Raphinha
Captain: Robert Lewandowski
Barcelona vs Brest Match Prediction
Despite recent struggles, Barcelona should be good enough to edge over Brest using the home advantage. We predict a 2-1 win for the Catalan giants.
