Brest vs. Monaco: Match Preview and Prediction

April 5, 2025. 20:00. Brest. Stade Francis-Le Ble
Ligue 1. Matchday 28

Injuries: Loko, Salah, Marten, Amavi, Burgo, Koulibaly - Tese, Ouattara, Magassa

In Matchday 28 of Ligue 1, Monaco travels to Brest, hoping to solidify their position in second place in the table, a spot they reached following last weekend's results. The hosts trail the guests by 10 points, but they still have a chance to compete for a place in European competitions.

Brest

After a successful last season where they finished third and debuted in the Champions League, Brest has more modest goals at the end of the current campaign. Currently, Rui's men occupy the eighth position, five points adrift of seventh place, which would grant them entry into the Conference League if PSG secures victory in the Coupe de France. The 'Pirates' could have contested for the title themselves but dramatically exited in the quarter-finals against Dunkirk, conceding three goals in the second half. That defeat came at the end of an unsuccessful stretch in February when Rui's squad failed to win in six consecutive matches across all competitions, including a humiliating 0-10 aggregate loss to PSG in the Champions League Round of 16.

However, in March, Rui's side bounced back, securing seven points from their last three matches. At home, they managed to keep clean sheets against Angers and Reims, resulting in a 2-0 victory and a 0-0 draw, respectively. A standout performance in the last round came in their away match against Toulouse, where they scored four goals against one of the league's best defenses, despite their top scorer Azhork, who has netted 10 goals, being unable to find the net. Overall, Brest has improved their away form this year, winning four out of seven matches, compared to just one win in the same number of matches before the New Year.

Thus, Brest's fate remains uncertain as the season draws to a close, as does that of their head coach, whose contract expires in the summer, and the club's management is in no hurry to renew it. In the league, for Brest to return to European competitions, they will have to overcome statistics indicating that the 'Pirates' lost all six matches against top-5 teams this season, conceding 20 goals in those encounters—almost half of their total goals allowed this season. The schedule at the end of the campaign, aside from the encounter with Monaco, also features matches against Marseille, Lille, Nice, and Lens, so everything is in the hands of Brest's players. Securing points against the Monegasques already looks like a significant challenge, as the Pirates have lost six consecutive matches to this opponent, including a 2-3 defeat in the first round. This marks Brest's longest current losing streak against a Ligue 1 rival.

Monaco

Monaco is also striving for a second consecutive season in European competitions, particularly the Champions League, and they secured an important victory on that path in the last round. In the Cote d’Azur derby against Nice, the Monegasques found themselves in a tough spot at halftime. Initially, Birett missed a penalty, and towards the end of the half, the Eagles took the lead. However, after the break, the principality club managed to equalize through Birett's goal and then win with a contribution from Embolo. "That's his mentality, his character. He never gives up and fights for the team. It's fantastic," said Monaco's coach about the Dane after the match. Indeed, since transferring from Sturm in the winter, Birett has scored 12 goals, netting three hat-tricks. Thus, the 13 million euros paid for him has already proven worthwhile and may bring even more to the club in the future. However, Monaco likely does not want to part ways with Birett any time soon, especially since Embolo's future at the club remains uncertain.

This Swiss goal delayed celebrations of yet another title in Paris by a week, but everyone understands that a 21-point gap means it's only a matter of time. The Monegasques face considerable competition for a Champions League spot, as Marseille trails by just a point while Nice and Lille are three points behind; Strasbourg and Lyon are also contenders for a place in the main European competition. A positive aspect is that following a challenging start to the year, Monaco has begun to regularly earn points, amassing 10 in their last four matches. Their defensive play has significantly improved, conceding only two goals in that period. This resembles the start of the season when their defense was one of the best in the league. In attack, Monaco has scored 19 goals in their previous seven matches across all competitions. However, the fixtures remaining this season for Gutter's squad are not easy. In addition to two matches against relegation contenders, they'll face competition from Marseille, Strasbourg, and Lyon for places in European competitions.

Away matches have been a problem for Monaco in recent months. Their victory over Angers in mid-March ended a seven-match winless streak on the road in the league. Overall, it was their first away win in 2025 across all tournaments. Now, they can only nostalgically recall their initial three consecutive victories at the start of the campaign. However, the encounter with Brest may help, as Monaco has won 20 of the 32 meetings—a strong record against Ligue 1 opponents.

Brest vs. Monaco: Predicted Line-ups

Loko, Salah, Marten, Amavi, Burgo, and Koulibaly will miss out for Brest due to injuries. Tese, Ouattara, and Magassa are in the treatment room for Monaco.

Brest vs. Monaco: Author's Prediction

Brest looks quite strong at home, which cannot be said for Monaco's away performances. Thus, I expect the hosts to challenge the favorites and claim points from them.