PSG's quest to finish the domestic season unbeaten continues with a trip to Brest
PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring his third goal to make it 4-0 during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the Stuttgart Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.. Credit: AP/Tom Weller
PARIS — Brest is next in line as defending champion Paris Saint-Germain tries to stay unbeaten in the French league.
PSG leads by 10 points with 15 games to go and remains on course for a yet another Ligue 1 and French Cup double.
Luis Enrique’s team is unbeaten since a 1-0 loss at Bayern Munich in late November and the attack has started to click with 11 goals in four games in all competitions.
This has coincided with France winger Ousmane Dembélé becoming more consistent with his finishing.
Dembélé’s hat trick in a 4-1 victory over Stuttgart on Wednesday took him to 16 goals overall, which is already a career best. He has taken 25 games to reach that mark, a far better ratio than his previous best of 14 in 42 for Barcelona in 2018-19.
A healthy lead in France is business as usual for PSG most seasons, but things are much different for Brest, which is in the middle of the most unique season in its history. It hosts PSG on Saturday.
Not only did the Brittany-based club qualify for European competition for the first time, it surprised observers by winning half of its Champions League games.
Brest's Ludovic Ajorque, right, challenges for the ball with Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Brest and Real Madrid at Roudourou stadium in Guingamp, France, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Credit: AP/Thibault Camus
Coach Eric Roy's team joined PSG, Brest and Monaco in qualifying for the Champions League playoff spots. Lille, meanwhile, was the only French side to advance directly to the round of 16 in the new-look format.
But given that Brest is by far the smallest of the four clubs, and that it could not even play home games in its own stadium, the achievement of Roy's side arguably surpasses the others.
“We can feel a sense of pride. There's a lot of satisfaction, I think we made the most of what we had," Roy said after Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid. "We've had a very good campaign. I think if we had been offered the chance to finish 18th (in the table) we would have signed up for it."
Playing in the Champions League, however, unsettled Brest somewhat in Ligue 1. Understandably, because its players had never been in such a position before.
PSG's Bradley Barcola, centre right, celebrates with Desire Doue after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain in Stuttgart, Germany, Jan. 29, 2025. Credit: AP/Marijan Murat
But Roy managed to steady things. Momentum is picking up and Brest enters Saturday's home game with PSG in eighth place and seeking a fourth straight league win.
Imposing striker Ludovic Ajorque is leading the line well and will look to improve on his team-leading seven league goals. Influential midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou is working his way back from a shin injury and could start after coming on off the bench against Madrid.
That could prove crucial to Brest's chances of an upset.
PSG will be without midfielders Warren Zaïre-Emery and João Neves after they picked up injuries in Wednesday's victory at Stuttgart.
Zaïre-Emery sprained his left ankle and Neves received a blow to this right foot.
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