Lyon host Brest at Groupama Stadium on Sunday in a crucial French Ligue 1 clash. Both teams are chasing European qualification, but the hosts boast a solid home record and should have the upper hand against the struggling visitors.
The hosts head into this fixture after a 3-2 loss to PSG, ending their seven-match unbeaten home streak in Ligue 1. While it was disappointing to have come away empty-handed, manager Paulo Fonseca will take the positives as they pushed the champions all the way.
Groupama Stadium has been a solid hunting ground for Lyon, who have won five of their last seven Ligue 1 home matches. However, they remain poor at the back and are without a clean sheet in their last six matches in all competitions.
Brest head into this fixture reeling from a shock 3-2 home defeat to Ligue 2 side Dunkerque in the Coupe de France quarter-finals. That result extended their winless run to five matches in all competitions, playing out a 0-0 draw with Strasbourg last time out in Ligue 1.
Eric Roy’s men have struggled at both ends, conceding 15 goals in their last five matches. A bulk of those goals came in the Champions League defeat to PSG which they lost 10-0 on aggregate.
How the bookies view it: Lyon on top
The bookies have installed Lyon as overwhelming favourites, with BoyleSports offering odds of 6/10 for a home win. A victory for Brest is priced at 7/2 by BoyleSports while a draw is valued at odds 3/1.
Head to head: Upper hand for Lyon
Lyon have a 6-3 advantage with eight draws from 17 previous matches against Brest. The visitors picked up a 2-1 home victory in the reverse fixture in January while the hosts claimed a 4-3 win in the last meeting at the Groupama Stadium.
Players to watch: In-form Tolisso
Corentin Tolisso has been in remarkable goal-scoring form for Lyon, scoring in the last five matches in all competitions. He could be worth keeping an eye on to score anytime on Sunday at 11/4 with BoyleSports.
Ludovic Ajorque is the leading scorer for Brest with 10 Ligue 1 goals and will look to add to his tally on Sunday. The forward was also on target in the reverse fixture and is priced at odds of 10/3 by BoyleSports to find the net once again.
Probable line-ups
Lyon are expected to be without Abner Santos who is still recovering from a knock while Nicolas Tagliafico is suspended for this fixture. Ryan Cherki, Nemanja Matic, Malick Fofana and Corentin Tolisso are all expected to retain their places in the line-up.
Bradley Locko remains out with an Achilles injury while Justin Bourgault, Ibrahim Salah and Soumaïla Coulibaly are also sidelined. Romain Del Castillo remains doubtful with a knee issue, although the return of Ludovic Ajorque is expected to give them a boost up front.
Lyon: Perri, Kumbedi, Clinton, Mata, Niakhate, Maitland-Niles, Matic, Tessmann, Tolisso, Nuamah, Cherki, Fofana
Brest: Bizot, Lala, Chardonnet, Coulibaly, Haidara, Camara, Lees-Melou, Lage, Doumbia, Magnetti, Ajorque
Anything else catch the eye?
Both teams have scored in four of Lyon’s last five games in all competitions and a repeat is expected with BoyleSports 4/6. The home team’s last four matches have produced over 3.5 goals, which is priced at 13/8, while over 2.5 goals is valued at 8/13 with Boylesports.
With Lyon unlikely to keep a clean sheet, a win and both teams to score can be considered at 21/10.
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