Barcelona Aims to Break Winless Streak Against Surging Stade Brestois in UEFA Champions League

FC Barcelona is set to face Stade Brestois in a crucial UEFA Champions League match on Tuesday, November 26, at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Barcelona is looking to snap a two-game winless streak, having recently suffered a disappointing draw against Celta Vigo in La Liga after losing a two-goal lead in the final minutes.

Stade Brestois, despite struggling in Ligue 1 where they sit just three points clear of the relegation zone, has been a surprise package in the Champions League. They are currently fourth in the league phase, having won against Sturm Graz, Red Bull Salzburg, and Sparta Prague, and drawn with Bayer Leverkusen. This strong European form contrasts sharply with their domestic performance.

Barcelona’s lineup is expected to see some changes due to injuries. Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde will be unavailable, with Héctor Fort potentially making his first career start in the Champions League. Iñaki Peña will continue in goal, while Jules Koundé and Íñigo Martínez will be part of the defense. Frenkie de Jong is likely to return to the midfield alongside Marc Casadó, who is looking to bounce back from his red card against Celta Vigo. Raphinha and Dani Olmo will flank Pedri in the attacking midfield, with Robert Lewandowski aiming to score his 100th Champions League goal.

This match marks the first-ever encounter between Barcelona and Stade Brestois. Barcelona has a strong record in first-time meetings, not having lost to any of their last 20 new opponents. The last defeat in such a fixture was against Rubin Kazan in 2009. Stade Brestois, under the guidance of coach Éric Roy, has made a remarkable rise to the Champions League after returning to Ligue 1 in 2019.