Two sides battling for a European place will go head-to-head at Stade de la Meinau this Sunday, as Strasbourg welcome Brest for matchday 23 of Ligue 1.
Only one point separates them, with the hosts sitting seventh on 33 points, three adrift of the Conference League playoff spot, while the visitors are ninth in the standings.
Match preview
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Strasbourg have regained momentum after a rough patch that included a league setback against Rennes and a Coupe de France quarter-final exit against Angers, bouncing back with successive Ligue 1 victories to strengthen their push for Europe.
Following a routine 2-0 win over bottom-placed Montpellier at Meinau, Le Racing faced a sterner test at Lens but showed resilience to grind out another triumph, with late strikes from Dilane Bakwa and Emanuel Emegha in the 81st and 90th minutes securing a hard-fought result.
That victory was a rare one, considering the Alsace-based outfit had managed just two wins in their previous 11 top-flight trips this campaign – Le RCS's home form being the major driving force behind their European ambitions.
Liam Rosenior's men have every reason to be confident heading into this weekend's encounter, given their impressive return at Meinau, having won each of their last three matches there, amassing 21 points from a possible 30 – the fourth-best home record in the division.
Victory here would mark Strasbourg's longest winning streak in Ligue 1 at the ground since securing four consecutive wins between September and November 2019.
However, Le RCS have an unwanted record to contend with, having gone winless in the last five meetings with Sunday's visitors, losing the most recent two – a 3-0 defeat at home in February 2024, followed by a 3-1 loss in this campaign's reverse fixture back in November.
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Meanwhile, Brest arrive at this encounter after enduring their heaviest defeat of the season, a 7-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League knockout playoff return leg, sealing a 10-0 aggregate exit from their debut campaign.
After securing a place in Europe's elite club tournament by finishing third in Ligue 1 last term with 61 points – their highest tally and best-ever ranking – Les Pirates have struggled to replicate those heights this season, enduring a mixed run of results.
Their inconsistency was evident once again last weekend, as Brest failed to build on their win at Nantes, scraping a 2-2 draw at home against newly promoted Auxerre after battling hard to rescue a point.
Defensive frailties have been a major issue, conceding 38 goals – their third-highest tally at this stage of a Ligue 1 season – which has offset their 35-goal return, their best after 22 matches.
However, their recent away form provides optimism, with the Pirates winning each of their last three league matches on the road, and another victory this weekend would see them equal their longest away winning streak in the competition since August to October 2010.
Team News
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Strasbourg will regain Ismael Doukoure from suspension, providing a boost to their defence, though they are likely to be without Andrew Omobamidele, who was forced off with an injury in their last match.
Adding to their challenges, key midfielder Andrey Santos is unavailable after accumulating too many yellow cards in 10 games, with Abdoul Ouattara likely to step into the starting lineup.
The team also continues to deal with several long-term absences, including Caleb Wiley, Moïse Sahi Dion, Thomas Delaine and Oscar Perea.
Having rested several players midweek against PSG, Brest will approach this match with a largely full-strength and well-rested squad.
With no new injury concerns, long-term absentees Bradley Locko, Jonas Martin, Jordans Amavi and Romain Del Castillo remain sidelined.
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Doukoure, Doue, Sarr; Barco, Diarra, Ouattara, Moreira; Lemarechal, Emegha, Nanasi
Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Coulibaly, Haidara; Magnetti, Lees-Melou, Camara; Faivre, Ajorque, Sima
We say: Strasbourg 2-2 Brest
While Strasbourg carry momentum into this clash with back-to-back wins and a strong home record this season, their struggles against Brest in recent meetings remain a concern.
The visitors, meanwhile, have shown greater consistency on their recent top-flight travels, making a stalemate the likely outcome given both sides' resilience.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
