In what may be a fantastic watch for the neutrals, Bordeaux play host to Brest in Sunday's Ligue 1 encounter at the Matmut Atlantique.
The hosts were involved in a thrilling share of the spoils with Metz last time out, while Les Pirates ran out 4-0 winners over Champions League-chasing Lens.
Match preview
Out on a personal revenge mission against his former employers, Nicolas De Preville responded to Alberth Elis and Remi Oudin's strike to reduce the deficit for Metz in last weekend's clash with Bordeaux, and substitute Opa Nguette would draw Les Grenats level by the 51st minute.
An enthralling battle also saw Metz finish the game with 10 men following Farid Boulaya's kick out at Yacine Adli, and further strikes from Oudin and Nguette later on in the second period would see the two sides shake hands on a point apiece in a 3-3 draw.
Vladimir Petkovic's Bordeaux are still languishing in the lower reaches of the division, though, as they sit 16th in the rankings - level on points with 18th-placed Clermont - and only one point separates them from the automatic relegation places as things stand.
Bordeaux's last three fixtures have seen a whopping 16 goals scored - seven of them for Les Girondins and nine for their opponents - but they can boast just one win from their last eight in Ligue 1 as off-the-pitch issues continue to bedevil them.
Petkovic's side have also failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their home games this term but have only failed to score in one of them, so Brest cannot expect to travel to the Matmut Atlantique expecting to march to another romping success.
As if beating Monaco 2-0 on Halloween was not enough for Brest, Michel Der Zakarian steered his side to the unlikeliest of drubbings against European hopefuls Lens, with his side putting four unanswered goals past their shell-shocked visitors last weekend.
Steve Mounie, Romain Faivre, Brendan Chardonnet and Jeremy Le Douaron were all on target for Der Zakarian's in-form crop, who have now won their last three and are unbeaten in five in the top flight to suddenly surge up the rankings.
Brest and their 20 goals have dragged themselves away from danger to occupy 13th spot in the table ahead of this fixture, but a dire start to the season before their resurgence means that they only sit three points clear of 19th-placed Saint-Etienne as things stand.
However, Les Pirates have finally appeared to gel under Der Zakarian - with 11 points from the last 15 on offer reflecting that - and the visitors have scored in all 14 of their Ligue 1 games so far this term before locking horns with a leaky Bordeaux defence.
Bordeaux's 1-0 win over Brest at the Matmut Atlantique last term represents their only win from their last six in Ligue 1 versus Les Pirates, who gleaned a measure of revenge with a 2-1 home win in the most recent fixture back in February.
- L
- D
- D
- W
- L
- D
- L
- D
- D
- W
- W
- W
Team News
Bordeaux have no fresh injury concerns to work around for this fixture, but star striker Hwang Ui-jo is still a major doubt with his troublesome ankle problem.
Petkovic is also set to make do without centre-back pairing Laurent Koscielny and Paul Baysse once again, but it would be a surprise to see the hosting manager make many alterations.
Oudin is sure to edge out Samuel Kalu for another start following his brace against Metz, with Javairo Dilrosun hopeful of keeping his place on the opposite flank.
As for Brest, Denys Bain, Paul Lasne and Sebastien Cibois all remain in the infirmary, but none of the trio is expected to remain sidelined for much longer.
Bain is actually thought to have an outside chance of returning this weekend, while midfielder Hianga'a Mbock - an unused substitute in the Lens thrashing - is out through illness.
Faivre now sits on 10 goal contributions for the season with his fifth goal and fifth assist of the campaign against Lens, and the attacker is sure to form one part of a likely unchanged XI.
Bordeaux possible starting lineup:
Costil; Kwateng, Mexer, Gregersen, Mangas; Adli, Onana, Otavio; Oudin, Elis, Dilrosun
Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Pierre-Gabriel, Herelle, Chardonnet, Duverne; Faivre, Agoume, Belkebla, Honorat; Le Douaron, Mounie
We say: Bordeaux 1-3 Brest
Brest's goalscoring exploits under Der Zakarian have never been called into question, but Les Pirates now seem to have developed the mental fortitude to help them rise away from the relegation crop.
Bordeaux have no problem making the net ripple either, but Petkovic is yet to find the ideal defensive formula to stop the goals leaking in at the other end, and a ruthless Brest will aim to take advantage.
body check tags ::
Previews by email
