Brest vs Leverkusen facts

Brest have hit the ground running in their first-ever European campaign and now face German title holders Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League.

The clubs are both among the seven sides on six points after two matches, Brest beating Sturm Graz 2-1 at home on their European debut before a 4-0 win at Salzburg; that was also the score as Leverkusen won at Feyenoord on Matchday 1, the Bundesliga side then edging out AC Milan 1-0.

This is the teams' first meeting, and Brest's first game against a German club.

Form guide

Brest

This is Brest's first season in the Champions League; indeed, they have never before qualified for European competition.

Leipzig, in 2017, are the only previous club to have made their European debut in the Champions League proper, an honour Brest have shared with Girona this season.

Éric Roy's side secured their place in the competition by finishing third in Ligue 1 in 2023/24 – the club's highest-ever final position. Their 61 points was also a club record.

Les Pirates are the 12th French club to play in the Champions League proper, and the first newcomers since Rennes in 2020/21.

Brest are one of five clubs to be making their Champions League debuts in 2024/25, along with Bologna, Aston Villa, Girona and Slovan Bratislava.

Leverkusen

Record vs French clubs: W9 D4 L8 F36 A32
Away record vs French clubs: W3 D3 L4

Leverkusen's last games against a French club came in the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs, when they eventually beat Monaco 5-3 on penalties after their tie had finished 5-5 on aggregate (2-3 h, 3-2 a aet).

That first-leg loss is the only one of Leverkusen's last five games against French clubs they have not won.

Die Werkself are unbeaten in their last three games in France (W2 D1) having managed only one victory in their first eight games (D3 L4).

Leverkusen are featuring in the Champions League proper for the 14th time – although only the third in eight seasons.

Their most recent campaign came in 2022/23, when they were third in their section behind Porto and Club Brugge, moving into the Europa League – where they went on to reach the semi-finals before losing 1-0 on aggregate against Roma.

Xabi Alonso's side went one step further in last season's Europa League, finishing first in their section with maximum points before battling past Qarabağ (5-4 on aggregate), West Ham (3-1 agg) and Roma (4-2 agg) to reach the final. Atalanta proved too strong in Dublin, however, running out 3-0 winners to deny Leverkusen the chance to add to their 1988 UEFA Cup triumph.

The 1-0 loss at Roma in the 2022/23 Europa League semi-final first leg is the German side's only defeat in their last 12 European away games (W8 D3).

That defeat against Atalanta was Leverkusen's only loss in their 53 games in all competitions last season – 43 of those victories.

Alonso guided Die Werkself to a first ever Bundesliga title, his side finishing 17 points clear at the top, and also oversaw a 1-0 win against Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final as Leverkusen claimed that trophy for only the second time.

Leverkusen have not reached the Champions League knockout rounds since 2016/17.

Links and trivia

Have played in France:
Jeanuël Belocian (Rennes 2020–24)
Nordi Mukiele (Paris FC 2004–13, Laval 2013–17, Montpellier 2017/18; Paris Saint-Germain 2022–24)
Amine Adli (Toulouse 2015–21)
Martin Terrier (LOSC Lille 2004–18, Strasbourg 2017/18 loan; Lyon 2018–20; Rennes 2020–24)

Have played in Germany:
Ludovic Ajorque (Mainz 2023–24)
Soumaïla Coulibaly (Borussia Dortmund 2021–23)

Have played together:
Romain Del Castillo & Martin Terrier (Rennes 2020/21)
Jonas Martin & Martin Terrier (Strasbourg 2017/18, Rennes 2020–22)
Kenny Lala & Martin Terrier (Strasbourg 2017/18)
Ibrahim Salah & Jennauël Belocian, Martin Terrier (Rennes 2023/24)

Latest news

Brest

Brest's record in Ligue 1 this season is W3 D1 L4, with 11 goals scored and 14 conceded. On Saturday, they let in a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at home to Rennes.

Brest have four clean sheets in their last eight games in all competitions.

Julien Le Cardinal has not played since 22 September and missed the 2-0 home win against Le Havre on 6 October due to illness.

Pierre Lees Melou returned as a half-time substitute against Le Havre, his first appearance since breaking his fibula on 4 May.

Bradley Locko suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in August.

Abdallah Sima sat out Saturday's draw with a hamstring injury.

Leverkusen

Leverkusen's record in this season's Bundesliga is W4 D2 L1. They were 2-1 winners at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, Victor Boniface getting the decisive goal to make it three successive club matches in which he had scored, and six in his last seven Leverkusen games.

Xabi Alonso's side drew 2-2 at home against Holstein Kiel on 5 October, letting slip a 2-0 lead after eight minutes. That was Alonso's 100th game as Leverkusen coach.

Leverkusen have conceded 13 goals in their first seven league games; they let in 24 in 34 in 2023/24.

A 2-3 loss at home to Leipzig on 31 August, a game in which they had also led 2-0, was Leverkusen's first league defeat since 27 May 2023 and ended a 35-match unbeaten Bundesliga run.

On 14 October Florian Wirtz suffered an ankle injury in Germany's 1-0 UEFA Nations League win against the Netherlands and was substituted at half-time. He came on in the second half on Saturday.