Barcelona will be back in action in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday with Stade Brestois 29 away to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. The Catalan giants sit sixth in the league section standings with nine points out of 12, while the Breton minnows are fourth with 10 points and remain unbeaten in four UCL matches so far this season.
Hansi Flick’s men were surprised by Celta Vigo in the Los Angeles League over the weekend with two late goals that tied them 2-2 for one point out of a possible six locally. Barça is the leader of the Spanish top flight, but is now four points ahead of Real Madrid, who have a game on their hands and then cut the Blaugrana’s lead.
Brest is performing much better in the UCL and has already booked its place in the knockout round alongside AS Monaco, who already beat Barça in this edition. Eric Roy’s UEFA debutants have lost their last three Championsnat games and come into this one on the back of a defeat to Les Monegasques, ending their time floating just above the relegation fight.
Here are our stories, how you can track fit, and more:
The best way to monitor the odds.
- Future: Tuesday, November 26 | Age: 3 pm Eastern Time
- Location: Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium – Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Guard: Supreme+
- Odd: Barça -650; Draw +700; Brest +1800
League Section up to this moment
Barça lost 2-1 against Monaco in their first Champions League game, but have since won three consecutive games against Young Boys, Bayern Munich and Red Megastar Belgrade. The Catalans have nine wins from 14 against French opposition in Europe, but have only won eight in their last 19 continental home games.
Brest is one of five clubs making their UCL debut in this event along with Bologna, Aston Villa, Girona and Slovan Bratislava, and the French team is the best performer so far. With 3 wins and a draw, the 10-point barrier may have already secured a place in the knockout phase. Undefeated, after beating Sturm Graz, Red Bull Salzburg and Sparta Prague, Roy’s team also tied with Bayer Leverkusen.
Crew information
Barça: Lamine Yamal is an important moment of indecision. Eric García and Ferran Torres are extensive photographs as they relate medication. Ronald Araujo, Ansu Fati, Andreas Christensen, Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal are out. Flick is likely to bring Frenkie de Jong and Alejandro Balde into the founding eleven ahead of Gavi and Gerard Martin.
The imaginable Barça XI: Grief; Koundé, Cubarsi, I Martínez, Balde; De Jong, Married; Olmo, Pedri, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
Brest: Pierre Lees-Melou is expected to be out briefly and Massadio Haidara, Romain Faivre and Soumaila Coulibaly are expected to pass out. Bradley Locko is a long-term passing moment. Abdallah Sima is more likely to be cut, but Ludovic Ajorque is compatible in attack at least.
Brest imaginable XI: Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Le Cardinal, Amavi; Camara, Lees-Melou, Fernandes; Bucket, Ajorque, Doumbia.
Prediction
Although Brest will try to hold on as best they can, Barça must eliminate them and run over the reasonably calm winners here. Select: Barça 3, Brest 1.
