St Etienne vs Brest prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2025-04-12 13:00.
[p]After back-to-back defeats, second-from-bottom Saint-Étienne face a six-game sprint for the finish line as they look to avoid an immediate return to the second tier. Les Verts begin the round three points adrift of Ligue 1’s relegation play-off place, and with top half opposition awaiting them in their next four fixtures, they face an uphill battle to preserve their top-flight status.[/p]
[p]To compound matters, Eirik Horneland’s men have not won any of their last five home games (D2, L3), conceding 15 goals in the process. The visit of Brest appears timely then, as St-Étienne have lost just one of the 14 Ligue 1 H2Hs they’ve hosted (W10, D3), but a return of five defeats from the last six top-flight meetings at any venue (W1) suggests they won’t have things all their own way here.[/p]
[p]Having qualified for the UEFA Champions League last season, Brest have also endured a disappointing campaign this time around, sitting ten points worse off than at the same stage a year ago. An active four-match unbeaten run (W3, D1) means the European places are still within the Pirates’ grasp, with Éric Roy’s men impressively beating Monaco 2-1 last time out.[/p]
[p]Key to their position in the top half has been a resurgence away from home, with Brest winning four of their last six league games on the road (D1, L1) – as many as in their previous 13 such outings. Of the ten goals Brest have managed in that time, six have come inside the opening 30 minutes so another fast start could hold the key to success here.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Zuriko Davitashvili has directly contributed to a goal in five Saint-Étienne matches in 2025, but only one of those ended in victory for Les Verts (D1, L3). Pierre Lees-Melou assisted Brest’s winner against Monaco and has never lost when scoring for the club (W6, D6). [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Brest have only conceded before half-time in one of their last seven matches. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Alex Bowmer[/i][/p]