PSG will be aiming to improve their domestic form and get back in their rhythm as they face a tricky fixture against Brest in Ligue 1.

Brest boss Eric Roy will want his side to at least reach the heights of two seasons ago when they were in the UEFA Champions League, but the road currently is long and a hard one, with the next task coming against PSG. The Ligue 1 mid-table side have had a few memorable results this season as well as some shocking ones, such as the defeat to Paris FC despite having a man advantage.

Heading into the weekend’s clash with PSG, Brest have had a near-identical recent record to their visitors, as they have drawn their last two games. In fact, their most recent game last weekend ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, although Roy will deem it as two points lost.

Meanwhile, PSG made a telling statement in the Champions League after beating Bayer Leverkusen with a 7-2 scoreline away from home, with both teams going down to ten men. The Parisians took full advantage of the open nature of the contest to bring their fluid scoring form to the fore.

That would have improved their confidence ahead of returning to Ligue 1 action, where they are without a win in the last two games. Draws against LOSC Lille and then RC Strasbourg have seen the Parisians trail current leaders Marseille by a single point, something Luis Enrique would want corrected in the coming period.

A win over Brest followed by Marseille dropping points at the weekend would prove enough for PSG to reclaim the Ligue 1 summit. The main idea is to have consistent results on board. The Parsians have an impeccable record against the hosts, with five victories in as many previous games, and it was around 40 years ago that Brest last defeated the treble winners.

Team News & Tactics

Brest

Eric Roy does not have too many issues with injuries or suspension, as there are only two stars who are likely to miss out. Chief among them is Mama Balde, who continued to recover from a thigh problem that could see him miss out against PSG.

Luck Zogbe is also in danger of missing out on an issue that has seen him sit out the previous two games for Brest, although there’s still a chance he makes the squad for the weekend. Roy will go with his regular setup of 4-2-3-1 for this clash, with Hugo Magnetti and Joris Chotard set to manage the midfield duties together.

Soumaila Coulibaly and Brendan Chardonnet will feature at the heart of the defence, with Kenny Lala and Bradley Locko in the full-back roles for Brest. Kamory Doumbia will maintain his place in the No.10 role with Romain Del Castillo and Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe on the wings, while Ludovic Ajorque leads the line for Brest against PSG.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Majecki; Lala, Coulibaly, Chardonnet, Locko; Magnetti, Chotard; Castillo, Doumbia, Ebimbe; Ajorque

PSG

Similar to his counterpart in the Brest dugout, Luis Enrique does not have too many issues with his squad. However, he faces the prospect of missing two starting midfielders in Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz.

The former has a hamstring issue, while the latter could sit out with a hip injury that weakens PSG’s midfield to an extent. Enrique does have the luxury of options in the squad to replace the influential duo, with the likes of Warren Zaire-Emery and Desire Doue likely to start alongside Vitinha in the middle-third.

Illia Zabarnyi and Lucas Beraldo might be selected to represent the central defensive partnership, with Achraf Hakimi at right-back and Lucas Hernandez likely replacing Nuno Mendes on the left flank.

The fact that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele only recently returned from injuries, Enrique may not risk both players for the weekend and probably only select one, with the latter more likely. Bradley Barcola will keep his place in the attacking front three, while Ibrahim Mbaye is likely to start on the right side of the PSG attack against Brest.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Chevalier; Hakimi, Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Doue; Mbaye, Dembele, Barcola

Key Stats

• Paris Saint-Germain have won 19 of their last 20 matches against Brest in all competitions.
• Paris Saint-Germain are undefeated in 35 of their last 38 matches in Ligue 1.
• Brest are winless in their last two games, having drawn both their previous two encounters in Ligue 1.
• Brest met PSG last season four times across all competitions and conceded 18 goals.

Player to Watch

Ousmane Dembele

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Amid a stop-start season, Luis Enrique will hope to have his Ballon d’Or holder fit and firing on all cylinders in the coming period. Much like last season, it appears the Parisians are likely to regain full form as the campaign progresses, and once again, Dembele will be key to how they operate.

Dembele’s slow start to the campaign has still produced three goals and two assists across all competitions, and the best player in the world would want to have numbers reminiscent of some of his rivals in the world. Hence, the games against the likes of Brest will be crucial to pick up speed and bring in the goals.

Prediction

Brest 1-3 PSG

Brest have not been at their best, and more importantly, it is their inconsistent and unpredictable form that could bring an element of surprise. However, they have a wretched record against the Parisians, home or away, as it has been around 40 years since they last won against this particular side.

Hence, PSG are the clear favourites to take three points, and in an ideal world, they might have kept a clean sheet, but their recent record has been a bit indifferent. While PSG are expected to collect three points, the likelihood of them conceding is quite high. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Luis Enrique and his charges.