Champions League gatecrashers Brest continue their pursuit for European qualification once again when they host Nice in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Neutrals tuning into this one will be hoping for an improvement on the two matches these sides served up last season, as it was the only fixture in the French top flight which ended 0-0 at both venues.

Match preview

After the heroics of last season, statues of manager Eric Roy would already have been undergoing planning, but his Brest side continue to outdo themselves week by week this campaign too.

A slow start has quickly been forgotten about, and the start of their maiden Champions League campaign has evidently kick-started their season, as Brest have lost just one of their eight games since beating Sturm Graz on matchday one.

Two more fantastic results on the continent have followed, with the Pirates beating Red Bull Salzburg 4-0, and holding German champions Bayer Leverkusen to a 1-1 draw last week.

That form in Europe has transferred to domestic matters too, as Brest have won three of their last four home games in Ligue 1.

A 3-1 victory at Reims last weekend took them to 13 points, just one shy of fifth despite being down in 10th, and means they have won all three games that have directly followed a UCL fixture.

Ahead of their upcoming encounter, last year's stalemates between these two means that Brest have now kept 14 clean sheets against Nice in Ligue 1, three more than they have managed against any other opponent.

The season before saw both sides record a 1-0 win over each other, meaning Brest have the chance to keep four straight clean sheets against OGC for the first time in their history.

Nice will be confident of a big result of their own, though, as they responded superbly to a disappointing performance in Europe last week.

Franck Haise's side were beaten 1-0 in Budapest against Ferencvaros just over a week ago, meaning they have taken just one point from their opening three Europa League games, but they recorded the most eye-catching result in Ligue 1 a week ago.

Nice ended Monaco's unbeaten start to the season in the Derby de la Cote d'Azur, beating their local rivals 2-1 at the Allianz Riviera thanks to Gaetan Laborde's winner after a red card to Vanderson.

That ended a run of three straight draws which had followed their 8-0 demolition of Saint-Etienne, and also moved them onto 13 points, but Nice are two places above Brest on goal difference.

Improving form on the road will be necessary if Haise is to replicate the heroics he performed at Lens when he got the Blood and Gold back into the Champions League, as this Nice side have taken just five points in five away games so far, and sit four points adrift of Lille.

Team News

Concussions were something of an issue for Brest last week, as Luc Zogbe was forced off early last week while fellow defender Massadio Haidara also had to be replaced at the interval.

Both could feature here, but there were additional worries for Roy as wide duo Abdallah Sima and Romain Del Castillo both missed out with injury in the Reims win.

With the trip to Prague on the horizon, Roy could be tempted to rotate slightly, and keep the likes of Sima back in order to keep him fresh for the Champions League clash.

Nice are also without a number of important first-team players, with striker Terem Moffi still sidelined due to a knee injury, and midfield trio Tanguy Ndombele, Morgan Sanson and Youssouf Ndayishimiye not yet fit.

Veteran defender Dante was also a late withdrawal from the side that beat Monaco last weekend, and the length of time he will be out is unknown.

On the field, Evann Guessand will be one of the key men for the visitors, as only Bradley Barcola, Mason Greenwood and Jonathan David have more Ligue 1 goals than him so far, after scoring in back-to-back games.

Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Coulibaly, Haidara; Lees-Melou, Fernandes; Doumbia, Faivre, Salah; Mama Balde

Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Abdelmonem, Bombito, Bard; Clauss, Rosario, Boudaoui, Abdi; Guessand, Moukoko, Boga

We say: Brest 1-1 Nice

After two forgettable stalemates last season, this encounter should provide slightly more entertainment, with Brest in supreme form and Nice playing eye-catching football under Haise.

Being on level on points makes them hard to separate though, and the hosts may have one eye on an enticing trip to Prague in midweek, while Nice will also want to improve their European results.


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