Heading into this fixture, both Red Bull Salzburg and Brest have shown mixed form, with neither team demonstrating consistent dominance. Salzburg has secured just one win in their last five matches, while Brest have managed to lose twice over the same stretch.

Despite these inconsistencies, both sides have been involved in several high-scoring games. Brest’s recent five matches have produced 16 goals in total, giving an average of 3.2 goals per game. Salzburg has been involved in games with slightly fewer goals, but their last five outings have still averaged 2.8 goals per match, producing a total of 14 goals.

What’s most compelling is that 90% of these matches have featured at least two goals, while 70% have seen three or more goals scored.

These trends suggest that both teams are defensively vulnerable but capable of producing attacking play, making over 1.5 goals a highly probable outcome.

Oscar Gloukh has been a revelation this season, emerging as one of Red Bull Salzburg’s most prominent players. The 20-year-old Israeli midfielder, signed from Maccabi Tel Aviv in January 2023, has cemented his role in the team with his consistent performances.

In just 18 months, Gloukh has contributed 18 goals and assists in 48 Austrian Bundesliga appearances, underlining why several top clubs have shown interest in him.

What’s most impressive about Gloukh is his willingness to shoot. This season, no Salzburg player has taken more shots than him, recording 13 attempts – averaging a remarkable 4.13 shots per 90 minutes. In his last four starts, Gloukh registered two shots against WSG Tirol, Sparta Prague, and Rapid Wien, and added another attempt against Dynamo Kyiv. With nine of these shots coming from outside the box, Gloukh shows a propensity to shoot from range.

With this form and his high shot volume, backing him to have over 1.5 shots in this fixture seems a solid bet.

Mamady Diambou has become a key figure for Salzburg in breaking up opposition play, and his aggressive style is reflected in his foul count. The Mali international leads his team with eight fouls committed this season, often making tactical fouls to disrupt the flow of the game.

In his most recent start, Diambou committed four fouls against Rapid Wien, highlighting his combative nature in midfield. Given the physical and intense battles expected in this upcoming match, particularly against Brest’s midfielders like Mahdi Camara and Romain Faivre – who both rank highly for being fouled – Diambou is likely to be involved in numerous physical confrontations.

The 20-year-old defensive midfielder’s playing style makes him a strong candidate to commit at least one foul in this match. As Salzburg face a tough midfield challenge, Diambou’s 2 or more fouls price appeals, especially considering his track record for breaking up play.

Mahdi Camara has emerged as a vital cog in Brest’s midfield. The Frenchman, who was involved in 10 goals last season, has been one of Brest’s most reliable performers when it comes to shooting on target.

Heading into this fixture, Camara has managed at least one shot on target in four of his last five matches, including games against sides like PSG, Auxerre and St Etienne. As Salzburg has struggled with consistency in their last few matches, Camara will likely have space to exploit in midfield, and his knack for testing the goalkeeper from range makes him a solid candidate for a shot on target.

Given his form and the defensive weaknesses of Salzburg, Camara’s to have 1 or more on target is a bet worth taking on.

Despite their fluctuating form, Brest have been involved in several high-scoring encounters this season. In their last five matches, there have been 16 goals scored, averaging 3.2 goals per game. Notably, 80% of these matches have featured over 2.5 goals.

Red Bull Salzburg, on the other hand, have been going through a rough patch, winning just once in their last five outings. However, their matches have still been filled with goals, averaging 2.8 goals per game.

Furthermore, 60% of their recent games have gone over 2.5 goals, reinforcing the trend of high-scoring affairs. With both teams displaying vulnerabilities in defence and boasting several capable attackers, the probability of over 2.5 goals in this match seems high.

Given the attacking firepower on both sides, it’s reasonable to expect another goal-heavy fixture, making over 2.5 match goals an attractive option at odds of 1.67.

French defender Julien Le Cardinal has established himself as a key player for Brest this season. Already logging 434 league minutes, Le Cardinal seems to have secured his starting role in defence after a relatively quiet campaign last year where he played only 523 league minutes.

Impressively, his attacking contributions have also improved. He’s increased his shots per 90 minutes from 0.69 last season to 1.04 this year, signalling his growing role in Brest’s offensive set pieces.

Heading into this fixture, Le Cardinal has taken two shots against both Toulouse and St Etienne and one shot against PSG, indicating his ability to contribute in attack even against top opposition. Given Salzburg’s struggles in defending set pieces, Le Cardinal could be a valuable asset in this match, especially if Brest earns several corners or free kicks.

Backing Le Cardinal to have a shot is a sensible bet, particularly given his current form and increased involvement in attack.

Flying full back Jordan Amavi is a really nice price to be fouled just once or more in this early kick-off.

The 30-year-old was fouled four times in Brest’s CL opening 2-1 win over Sturm Graz.

Red Bull clubs have been known for their pressing, and the impact that Ralf Rangnick has had on their philosophy, and this should lead to Amavi receiving the ball under pressure, increasing the chances of him being clipped.

Amavi is averaging a foul involvement every 25.12 minutes this season and will be crucial to Brest’s impact in transition in Austria.

Oscar Gloukh has been a dominant force for Salzburg when it comes to shots on target. So far this season, Gloukh leads his team with seven shots on target, translating to an average of 1.59 shots on target per 90 minutes.

His consistent ability to test the goalkeeper makes him a reliable candidate for this betting market. In his recent league match against WSG Tirol, Gloukh had two shots on target, showcasing his eye for goal and his hunger to shoot from distance. Interestingly, nine of his shots this season have come from outside the box, further demonstrating his confidence and long range shooting capabilities.

Brest have conceded 56 shots in their last four games, averaging a concerning 14 shots per game allowed. Given this defensive frailty, Gloukh will likely have plenty of chances to fire on goal.