A disc brake for a vehicle, comprising: a brake disc having a brake disc rotational axis; a brake carrier configured to straddle the brake disc; an application-side brake pad and a back-side brake pad with respective back plates configured to be supported on the brake carrier in respective brake carrier pad slots (15, 16); a brake caliper configured to straddle the brake disc while being supported on the brake carrier in a manner that enables sliding of the brake caliper relative to the brake carrier along a direction parallel to the brake disc rotational axis; at least one pad-retaining spring coupled to the application side brake pad, wherein the brake carrier and at least the application side brake pad have form-fitting complementary contours configured to constrain the application-side brake pad against radial movement away from the brake disc rotational axis, and the at least one pad-retaining spring is configured to be supported at opposite ends on brake carrier horns (5a, 5'a, 5b, 5'b) adjacent to the application-side brake carrier pad slot and to exert a tensile force in a radially outward direction on the application-side brake pad, wherein the at least one pad-retaining spring is located on an upper side of the application-side brake pad back plate, characterized in that the at least one pad-retaining spring includes a central section, arm sections (7b, 7'b) adjacent to opposite ends of the central section, pressure sections (7c, 7'c) adjacent to the arm sections (7b, 7'b), and transition sections (7d, 7'd) between the central section and the adjacent arm sections (7b, 7'b), and the central section is located on the upper side of the application-side pad back plate such that the transition sections (7d, 7'd) contact the upper side of the application-side brake pad back plate and the pressure sections (7c, 7'c) extend laterally beyond the lateral sides of the application-side brake pad back plate a distance sufficient to be supported on the brake carrier horns (5a, 5'a). a brake disc having a brake disc rotational axis; a brake carrier configured to straddle the brake disc; an application-side brake pad and a back-side brake pad with respective back plates configured to be supported on the brake carrier in respective brake carrier pad slots (15, 16); a brake caliper configured to straddle the brake disc while being supported on the brake carrier in a manner that enables sliding of the brake caliper relative to the brake carrier along a direction parallel to the brake disc rotational axis; at least one pad-retaining spring coupled to the application side brake pad, wherein the brake carrier and at least the application side brake pad have form-fitting complementary contours configured to constrain the application-side brake pad against radial movement away from the brake disc rotational axis, and the at least one pad-retaining spring is configured to be supported at opposite ends on brake carrier horns (5a, 5'a, 5b, 5'b) adjacent to the application-side brake carrier pad slot and to exert a tensile force in a radially outward direction on the application-side brake pad, wherein the at least one pad-retaining spring is located on an upper side of the application-side brake pad back plate, characterized in that the brake carrier and at least the application side brake pad have form-fitting complementary contours configured to constrain the application-side brake pad against radial movement away from the brake disc rotational axis, and the at least one pad-retaining spring is configured to be supported at opposite ends on brake carrier horns (5a, 5'a, 5b, 5'b) adjacent to the application-side brake carrier pad slot and to exert a tensile force in a radially outward direction on the application-side brake pad, wherein the at least one pad-retaining spring is located on an upper side of the application-side brake pad back plate, characterized in that the at least one pad-retaining spring includes a central section, arm sections (7b, 7'b) adjacent to opposite ends of the central section, pressure sections (7c, 7'c) adjacent to the arm sections (7b, 7'b), and transition sections (7d, 7'd) between the central section and the adjacent arm sections (7b, 7'b), and the central section is located on the upper side of the application-side pad back plate such that the transition sections (7d, 7'd) contact the upper side of the application-side brake pad back plate and the pressure sections (7c, 7'c) extend laterally beyond the lateral sides of the application-side brake pad back plate a distance sufficient to be supported on the brake carrier horns (5a, 5'a).