A huge game near the bottom of Ligue 1 pits Ajaccio against Brest at the Stade Francois Coty on Sunday.

While the visitors remain hopeful of avoiding the drop, the task becomes much more difficult week-by-week for Ajaccio.

Match preview

A run of 13 defeats in 15 Ligue 1 games during 2023 for Ajaccio has left the club in dire straits, and looking likely for an instant return to the second tier.

Their only two results in that time both came against sides reduced to 10 men, while they have scored just seven, conceding an eye-watering 34 goals.

Defeat to relegation rivals Strasbourg last weekend has made the task almost insurmountable now for Olivier Pantaloni's side to escape and another loss here for Ajaccio will set a new unwanted club record for successive top-flight defeats with seven.

Brest represent the target for Ajaccio as they are the side just above the drop zone, but a 10-point buffer between the sides means a miraculous finish to the season is required for the hosts.

The Stade Francois Coty has not been a pleasant place to visit for the Ajaccio faithful either, as Pantaloni's side have lost six of their last seven games here, all to nil.

The Bears are Ligue 1's lowest scorers with just 22 in 31 games, as they have failed to rectify the goalscoring problem they had despite promotion from Ligue 2 last season, as they finished second scoring only 39 goals - only eight sides scored fewer.

On the longest away trip for any club in Ligue 1 this season, Brest will travel to Ajaccio in high spirits following a recent resurgence that has aided their survival hopes greatly.

Three wins and two draws from their last six games have been critical for Eric Roy's side, as only Paris Saint-Germain have beaten them in that time.

A vital win over Nice last weekend kept Brest out of the relegation zone after Strasbourg also won against their upcoming opponents.

Brest do not have a great recent record against Ajaccio though, particularly in the top flight, as they are winless in the last five meetings between the clubs in Ligue 1, but Brest did do the double in Ligue 2 during the 2018-19 season.

Sitting two points clear of trouble heading into the weekend, it appears four sides will battle it out to avoid the final relegation spot with seven games remaining.

Team News

Mohamed Youssouf will serve the final game of his suspension following a straight red card against Clermont at the start of the month.

Clement Vidal will return from his ban though, after he sat out the defeat to Strasbourg due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Youcef Belaili is a doubt with a groin injury while Yanis Cimignani has been ruled out again.

Pierre Lees-Melou will return for Brest after serving a suspension for the win over Nice, but Kenny Lala is banned for this one.

Karamoko Dembele remains on the sidelines through injury in what has been a frustrating season for the young Englishman in France.

Loic Remy is still yet to make an appearance for the club after joining in January, as the 36-year-old's lingering injury issues continue.

Ajaccio possible starting lineup:
Leroy; Diallo, Gonzalez, Avinel, Kone; Barreto, Vidal, Coutadeur, Mangani, Spadanuda; El Idrissy

Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Fadiga, Chardonnet, Brassier, Duverne; Belkebla, Magnetti, Del Castillo; Honorat, Mounie, Le Douaron

We say: Ajaccio 0-2 Brest

Ajaccio very rarely win or score anywhere at the moment, especially at home, and another defeat to a relegation rival will surely seal their fate.

In good form, Brest will see this as a great opportunity to pick up another three points against a side hopelessly out of form.


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