Ligue 1 | Gameweek 33

May 10, 2025 at 8pm UK

Stade Francis-Le Ble

Brest vs Lille

Match preview

After a historic third-place finish in the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season - which saw them qualify for the league phase of the Champions League - Brest are back in mid-table mediocrity for the 2024-25 campaign, with the club's stay in the top flight set to extend into a seventh year.

A three-match winless streak recently dashed any hopes of Les Pirates challenging for a continental spot this time around, but the hosts enjoyed a productive afternoon at the Stade Francis-Le Ble on Sunday as a Romain Del Castillo strike was enough to see off Ligue 2 outfit Montpellier HSC.

Having won just one of their last four top-flight matches, Brest currently sit ninth in the Ligue 1 standings ahead of this weekend's clash with Lille, 10 points adrift of sixth-placed Strasbourg and just six points from safety.

Having lost just four of their 16 home league games in front of their own fans, Les Pirates should be relatively confident of getting a result this weekend under the guidance of head coach Eric Roy, who is reportedly close to agreeing a two-year extension at the club.

Ludovic Ajorque, who is enjoying life in his homeland after a difficult switch to Mainz 05 in Germany's top flight, has been the leading light up front for Brest this season, with the towering 31-year-old scoring 12 goals and providing two assists in 29 Ligue 1 appearances.

After finishing fourth in the French top flight last season, Lille missed out on automatic qualification for the league phase of the revamped Champions League, so their focus over the last two games has been solely on securing a top-three finish in Ligue 1.

Les Dogues were on a roll at the end of April, winning three games in a row against Toulouse, Auxerre and Angers, but began May with a share of the spoils at the Decathlon Arena last weekend, where they drew 1-1 with second-placed Marseille.

Bruno Genesio's men have lost just one of their last six top-flight matches, picking up 13 points in the process, and are within striking distance of a top-three finish with two games in hand, a point behind third-placed Monaco and two behind Roberto De Zerbi's Olympiens.

Although six away wins in 16 matches is hardly world-class form, Les Dogues have been formidable on the road, conceding just 16 goals away from home this season - the best record in the division alongside Will Still's Lens.

Jonathan David, Lille's poster boy and main man as they chase a return to the Champions League, unsurprisingly tops most of the attacking charts for his side, with the Canadian marksman's 25 goals in all competitions to date putting him two strikes away from his best ever campaign for the French club.

Recent Performance

Brest Ligue 1 form:WWDLLW

Lille Ligue 1 form:WLWWWD

Team News

Brest will be without the services of former Aston Villa defender Jordan Amavi, who has been sidelined since late April with a calf injury.

Ibrahim Salah, another long-term Pirates absentee, picked up a foot problem in February and is struggling to return to action before the end of the season.

The home side's options at the back are further limited by a groin problem for Soumaila Coulibaly, who has made just seven Ligue 1 appearances this season following his loan move from Borussia Dortmund.

Lille will also be without the services of Kosovo international Edon Zhegrova, with the 26-year-old ruled out until 2025 due to a muscle problem.

Tiago Santos' season ended in October due to a serious knee injury, while Ethan Mbappe remains in the dressing room with a hamstring problem.

Possible starting lineup

Brest possible starting lineup:

Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, N'Diaye, Haidara; Camara, Lees-Melou, Doumbia; Del Castillo, Pereira-Lage, Ajorque

Lille possible starting lineup:

Chevalier; Meunier, Mandi, Ribeiro, Ismaily; Haraldsson, Bentaleb, Andre, Fernandez-Pardo; Sahraoui, David