Brest vs Montpellier Hsc Prediction & Betting Tips - Ligue 1

Prediction published on 12/01/2024, 10:58  by Joseph King | Modified on 14/01/2024 at 01:00 in Ligue 1 Prediction

League play resumes in the French Ligue 1 with fourth-place Brest hosting 12th-place Montpellier for matchday 18. Brest will be looking to continue their unexpected season as the team battles for a top-three spot and qualification to the UEFA Champions League. The Pirates finished 11th in the league last season, highlighting what a dramatic turnaround they've experienced this time around. Brest have racked up nine victories, four draws and only four defeats in the first 17 matches of the league season but time will tell if they can keep up the pace in the second half of the campaign. The hosts returned to action with a win as they eliminated Angers from the Coupe de France last weekend with a 1-0 home victory. It marked Brest's seventh consecutive match without defeat and was also the side's sixth victory during that stretch.

Montpellier come into this matchup after a 2-1 away win over Amiens in the Coupe de France last weekend. It was a nice return for La Paillade who ended 2023 on a decent run of form prior to the winter break. Montpellier’s run of five points from the final three Ligue 1 matches of 2023 has them up to 12th in the standings with a points total of 18. This has them four points above the bottom-three places and four points behind Strasbourg for a spot in the top-half. Montpellier have actually been better on the road this season with an average of 1.25 points earned per away fixture compared to 1.00 at home. They’ll have to cope with a number of absences here however, as they have no less than six players missing out for the AFCON and Asian Cup.