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It has been a really strong start to the season for Stade de Reims since the appointment of Luka Elsner and they will look to continue that bright start against a Stade Brest side that continue to star in the UEFA Champions League at the moment.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 26th October, 2024 - UK – 6:00pm / US ET – 1:00pm / US PT – 10:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
REIMS PREVIEW: REIMS’ RUN
Over the summer, Stade de Reims lost manager Will Still by mutual consent due to general underperformance last season after some underwhelming results following a fairly big season of spending. He was replaced by Slovenian coach Luka Elsner, who had previously performed very well at Le Havre.
They started the campaign with a 2-0 defeat at home to Lille on the opening weekend but they were down to ten men inside 20 minutes in that match. Since then, Reims have enjoyed a six-match unbeaten run of form but the hosts now come into this one on the back of a 2-1 defeat away to newly-promoted strugglers Auxerre.
BREST PREVIEW: BRILLIANT BREST
Former Sunderland player Eric Roy led Stade Brest to a third placed finish and UEFA Champions League qualification in fairly miraculous fashion with one of the lowest budgets in Ligue 1. They have naturally regressed to the mean this time around as they drift down the Ligue 1 table and they begin the weekend’s round of fixtures sitting in the bottom-half of the table.
The visitors come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League in midweek with seven points collected in their three matches. In Ligue 1, after a slow start, they have improved and they have suffered just one defeat in their last four matches following a 1-1 draw with Stade Rennais last weekend.
REIMS TEAM NEWS: NOTHING FRESH
Luka Elsner has turned Reims into a more possession-based side after the counter-attacking preferences of Will Still and that may also be because of the absence of some key attackers.
Both Reda Khadra and Mohamed Daramy have been unavailable throughout the campaign and Abdoul Kone also remains sidelined for the hosts with a hamstring injury.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Diouf; Buta, Kipre, Agbadou, Sergio Akieme; Munetsi, Atangana; Ito, Teuma, Nakamura; Salama
UNAVAILABLE: Kone (Injured), Khadra (Injured), Daramy (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BREST TEAM NEWS: PLAYERS RETURNING
Brest have dealt with the departures of key players and they have had key injuries throughout the season but they have pretty much a fully fit and available squad.
Bradley Locko, Pierre Lees-Melou and Romain Del Castillo have all returned to full fitness for Brest this weeknd but Julien Le Cardinal does remain out injured.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Ndiaye, Amavi; Camara, Lees-Melou, Magnetti; Del Castillo, Ajorque, Pereira Lage
UNAVAILABLE: Le Cardinal (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
REIMS VS BREST PREDICTION
As mentioned, Reims are playing a more possession-based style of football but it hasn’t really made them any less exciting. The hosts will seek to get on the front foot and should be able exploit Brest. The visitors went into chaotic mode towards the end of last season and they have remained in that for much of this campaign, too. This could well be quite an entertaining encounter for the neutral.
REIMS VS BREST TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE