Paris Saint-Germain had the chance to retain their title of autumn champions going into their final match before the winter break against Brest.
Despite going into the break at 0-0, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kevin Gameiro and a Bernard Mendy own goal proved to be enough to give the away side the win after the hosts had Abdou Sissoko sent off in the first half for a reckless lunge on Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of French football, as Brest host Paris Saint Germain in Ligue 1.
All eyes will be on the league leaders tonight, as PSG look to solidify their position as autumn champions heading into the winter break. For those of you who are unsure of what the term 'autumn champions' is or means, it's basically the team who are top of the division going into the winter break, it's something the French take very seriously.
Team news will be coming up shortly...
First off, the hosts...
BREST XI: Thebaux; Mendy, Baysse, Kantari, Traore; Sissoko, Martial, Grougi; Chafni, Benschop; Ben Basat.
PSG XI: Sirigu; Jallet, Thiago Silva, Sakho, Maxwell; Pastore, Thiago Motta, Matuidi, Lavezzi; Ibrahimovic, Ménez.
So former Chelsea defender Alex misses out through injury for PSG, as does wantaway attacker Nene. Gregory Van der Wiel and Kevin Gameiro are on the bench.
Here are the substitutes for both sides...
BREST SUBS: Hartock, Coulibaly, Lorenzi, Culma, Dernis, Licka, Ayite.
PSG SUBS: Douchez, Armand, Camara, Van der Wiel, Chantome, Verratti, Gameiro.
So with five minutes until kickoff, here is a bit of information about the two sides...
From eight outings on the road, Carlo Ancelotti's side have been beaten just once, winning four in the process.
However, Brest have a good home record so far this season. Only two teams have defeated them in front of their own supporters, while there have been five victories in their favour.
The teams are out here, and we are underway.
No real chances here in the early stages, PSG controlling the early tempo.
PSG are wearing their famous all-blue kit, while the hosts are covered from top to toe in white.
Half a chance for Brest, who find themselves on the edge of the box, but Benschop's effort is blocked and safely spins into the keepers arms.
Brest with a decent spell of possession here as they charge forward looking to take the initiative early on in this match. Great noise coming from the home crowd as well, in a packed stadium.
It's certainly a competitive match early on here, lots of challenges flying in from both teams in a red-hot atmosphere.
There are also a lot of pairs of gloves on display tonight, they certainly feel the cold in France.
Carlo Ancelotti is berating his players from the touchline, clearly not happy at the moment. Brest certainly possess belief the way the first 11 mins of this match have started.
CHANCE! PSG have been awarded a free kick from a long way out, and it's Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the ball. But he opts for power and sees his effort sail over the bar, Thebaux always had that one covered.
PSG earn another free kick as Ibrahimovic gets chopped down on the left by Martial.
CHANCE! The kick leads to a scramble in the penalty area, with Ibrahimovic desperately trying to get a shot away. The effort is blocked however.
CHANCE! Ibrahimovic is again involved, and tries a brilliant little flick from a low Jallet cross, but the defender is equal to it, and Brest scramble it away.
Real genius from Ibrahimovic. He certainly knows where the goal is, as all England fans are all too well aware.
However, it's not just about all the big names in the PSG lineup tonight. Remember Hull City's Bernard Mendy? No neither do I, but he starts for the home side tonight.
The home crowd has started to die down a bit after Brest's promising start. PSG are now dictating the play.
PSG have a half-hearted chance for a penalty as Jeremy Menez takes a tumble in the penalty area as he tussles with Sissoko. The referee awards nothing.
CHANCE! It's a fantastic double save from Thebaux! First off Thiago Silva meets the ball with his head from a corner from the edge of the six-yard box, before the resulting save falls to Ibrahimovic on the edge of the area who forces Thebaux low to his left. Great stop. Closest we've come to a goal so far.
Replays showing that Thebaux really didn't know too much about that first save, but nonetheless he was in the right place at the right time.
CHANCE! It's a chance at the other end as Brest counter-attack before Benschop has a pop at Sirigu who, after initially spilling it, recovers the ball.
CHANCE! Another effort from PSG, this time from Menez, who tries his luck with a bobbling shot from 25 yards out, but it's straight at the keeper. Easy stop.
Brest enjoying a nice spell of the ball here, as they try to calm down the PSG attack.
CHANCE! And as I say that, Menez slips a delightful ball from the left into the penalty area, before and onrushing Thebaux can prevent Ibrahimovic from getting his shot away. Great reactions from the Brest number one.
The games gone a bit scrappy in the last few minutes, with neither side able to get a foot-hold on the match.
RED CARD! Abdou Sissoko sent off for Brest
The hosts' task has just become more difficult, as Abdou Sissoki is sent off for a late lunge in the centre of the park on Ezequiel Lavezzi. It's a bit of a shock but a fair call, and the player himself looks devastated.
Needless to say, the home crowd aren't too happy about the referee's decision either. Straight red for Sissoko, Brest down to 10 men.
The match is finally back underway, but a cascade of boos still rings around the stadium.
PSG look to take advantage of their extra man, and Christophe Jallet tries his luck from the edge of the box... and Brest are awarded the throw.
On a serious note, PSG are camping in the Brest half at the moment.
Javier Pastore has a pop from range, and the ball swerves but Thebaux is able to beat it away.
YELLOW CARD The atmosphere is electric here, and Ibrahimovic goes into the book for PSG, much to the delight of the home fans.
Not sure what the Sweden captain has gone into the book for, but have a feeling it was dissent after a late challenge.
CHANCE! Ibrahimovic again goes close for the visitors, as he unleashes a powerful half-volley from the left-hand side of the box, but it bounces just wide of the near post and smashes into the advertising boards behind the goal.
Menez takes a late tackle from Chafni, and PSG have a free kick about 25-yards out.
Definite shooting range.
Ibrahimovic steps up and opts to curl it through the wall, and it is well saved from Thebaux to his right. He's had a good game so far has the Brest keeper.
Despite dominating the chances, PSG have only commanded 53% possession in this match so far. Brest certainly enjoying their fair share of the ball.
One minute of added time to go here.
The last chance of the half falls to Blaise Matuidi who makes a run into the box, but is off balance as he puts his shot wide.
HALF-TIME: Brest 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain
So the first half ends goalless but there has certainly not been a lack of action. PSG have dominated the play, with 11 efforts on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Brest had started the match well, and had the home crowd right behind them from the first minute, but they face a massive uphill task now, after Abdou Sissoko was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Ezequiel Lavezzi.
You would definitely fancy the league leaders to go on and win this match now, and after dominating much of the game and boasting a one-man advantage, it only looks a matter of time.
While we await the second half, Carlo Ancelotti has been speaking about the future of Javier Pastore, who believes that he will one day play for AC Milan.
Ancelotti said: "He is right to say that one day he will play for AC Milan, but in any case it's not a tomorrow thing. He remains here. He is an important player for us."
The Parisians have also been linked with a move for Wesley Sneijder whose wife has told the press that they are set to leave Milan.
The Brest players are in the tunnel, awaiting a return to the field for the second half.
And they start to make their way back out to the field, apart from Bruno Grougi the captain, who appears to be warming his hands for just a few extra minutes.
I'm sure the likes of Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira used to do the same...
And the second half has just kicked off.
PSG will be kicking from right to left to see the game through, Brest are doing the opposite, funnily enough.
CHANCE! It's an early shot at goal for PSG, as Jallet brings the ball down on the edge of the box before trying to dip an effort into the far corner, Thebaux manages to get a hand to it and clears it away.
A quick reminder if you're just joining us that Brest are down to 10 men after Abdou Sissoko was sent off. Expect PSG domination in this half.
CHANCE! Ibrahimovic tries to get a shot away from the edge of the box, but a block from Bernard Mendy sees the ball fall harmlessly through to the keeper. Moments later, the same thing happened off Pastore's 30-yard thunderbolt.
CHANCE! It's lovely football from PSG, with Ibrahimovic at the heart of the move as the ball breaks from the right to Javier Pastore, who cuts inside but fires his shot over the bar.
Ibrahimovic was unmarked in the middle at the time.
Brest fans cheer wildly as Martial hacks away a clearance for the hosts. Don't think we've seen the PSG end of the field so far in this second half.
Baysse opts for safety, and puts the ball behind for a corner. The resulting kick finds its way through to Mamadou Sakho, but the Frenchman fails to hit the target after good marking from Mendy.
GOAL! Brest 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain (Zlatan Ibrahimovic)
I said it was only a matter of time, and it's taken 10 minutes in this second half for PSG to find a way through. Jallet runs the ball down the right, before putting in a brilliant ball to the near post where Ibrahimovic pops up to direct home the opening goal of the game.
CHANCE! PSG come so close to doubling their lead just seconds later, as Ezequiel Lavezzi brilliantly manoeuvres his way through the Brest penalty area before putting a delicate chip over Thebaux. Fortunately for the Brest keeper, Lavezzi's effort goes just past the post.
SUBSTITUTION Brest make their first change of the night, as Ismael Traore is replaced by Mario Licka.
CHANCE! Brest have a half-chance as Chafni's ball into the box is heading towards the noggin of Ben Basat, but Thiago Silva intercepts with an important header.
So as things stand, PSG are going to head into the winter break as the autumn champions for the second year running. Brest will stay 13th in Ligue 1.
I would love to see the possession statistics now, since the break PSG have barely been without the ball.
To give credit to Brest, they have not stopped plugging away when in possession of the ball, and are putting up a real fight here.
CHANCE! It's lovely football from PSG, as Ibrahimovic plays a lovely one-two with Pastore to get away from his marker, but his chip is stopped by an onrushing Thebaux.
YELLOW CARD PSG keeper Salvatore Sirigu is booked for time-wasting. It's a tad early for to be trying to run the clock down isn't it?
CHANCE! And Ibrahimovic nearly scores one of the best goals I have ever seen. Jallet again darts down the right and floats in a cross, before the striker almost performs a somersault in mid-air to flick the ball with his heal just over the bar. Very hard to describe what he did there, but it was close to amazing.
CHANCE! Jallet is again causing problems, as his low shot is cleared out to the edge of the area, before Pastore sends a shot over.
SUBSTITUTION Jeremy Menez looks far from happy to be making way, but he comes off to make room for Kevin Gameiro for PSG.
SUBSTITUTION A second change for Brest, as Charlison Benschop is brought off in place of Jonathan Ayite.
GOAL! Brest 0-2 Paris Saint-Germain (Kevin Gameiro)
It's taken him a matter of minutes but Kevin Gameiro doubles PSG's lead. The visitors have a strike on goal which is blocked by Brest, but the rebound finds its way to Gameiro, who slams the ball into the back of the net from just inside the box to make it 2-0. Game over now you would have thought.
Brest now have 15 minutes to score twice against the league leaders with 10 men to salvage a point. Miracles do happen, but I'll put my house, my girlfriend and my Christmas presents that one will not take place here.
PSG have suddenly now got a lot more riding on this game than they first thought...
Back to the action, and PSG fans are having a bit of a whinge after Lavezzi is ruled offside as he goes one-on-one with Thebaux.
Gameiro goes so close to grabbing his second of the match, but a last-ditch challenge from Kantari stops any danger.
Brest have a free kick, five yards away from the edge of the box, after Ben Basat is upended.
This kick is dead central.
CHANCE! Sirigu pulls off a great save, as Grougi curls his shot to the corner of the net before the PSG stopper sticks out a hand to palm it away.
SUBSTITUTION Brest make their third and final change of the match, as Eden Ben Basat makes way for Geoffrey Dernis.
SUBSTITUTION PSG also make a swap, as Carlo Ancelotti pulls of Javier Pastore and replaces him with Clement Chantome.
YELLOW CARD Jonathan Ayite is show a yellow for a silly tackle from behind on Ibrahimovic. A needless challenge.
So as we enter the final five minutes of the match, it appears as if this game is pretty much over. Brest are two goals and a man down against the soon-to-be autumn champions.
CHANCE! PSG go in search of a third goal, as Ibrahimovic takes two bites of the cherry with both of his efforts from the edge of the six-yard box resulting in blocks.
A wry smile breaks out from the Sweden skipper, he has had a fine game today.
CHANCE! Thiago Silva heads away a certain goal from underneath his own crossbar, as Chafni flicks on a corner at the near post. Great stop at the death.
SUBSTITUTION Final change for PSG, as Maxwell comes off, and Zoumana Camara goes on.
Three minutes of stoppage time to play here.
GOAL! Brest 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain (Bernard Mendy)
It's a horrible moment for Bernard Mendy, who scores against his old club, but for his old club if you get what I mean. The ball breaks to the right side of the box with Jallet, whose shot takes a big deflection off the lunging Mendy and finds its way into the corner of the net.
FULL TIME: Brest 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain
It's all over here, and a comfortable win for PSG in the end, who net three second-half goals to give them the win. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kevin Gameiro and an own goal from Bernard Mendy proved to be enough to ensure that PSG will head into the winter break as the autumn champions.
The results leaves Brest 13th in the table, who were no doubt hurt when they lost Abdou Sissoko in the first half through a straight-red card.
The results leaves Brest 13th in the table, who were no doubt hurt when they lost Abdou Sissoko in the first half through a straight-red card.
That's all from me tonight, hope you enjoyed the game, and I'll see you all soon. Thanks for visiting!
