Stade Brestois faces the biggest challenge in its history by facing the great FC Barcelona, this Tuesday (9 p.m.), in the Olympic stadium located on the Montjuïc hill, overlooking the city of Gaudí. “If we go back two years, it’s certainly a dream that Brest supporters could not have imagined. It’s something fantastic to be able to compete against this kind of club,” relishes Éric Roy.
Week after week, struggling more in the league, the Finistère club continues to improve in the Champions League and will face one of the very best teams in Europe currently. It is a four-time winner of the competition who will face Stade Brestois. A club made up of stars in each position where Raphinha, the former Rennais, shines. “If I have a lasso on the sidelines, it can be useful because it is often close to the sidelines,” Éric Roy even joked to try to stop the Brazilian.
Barça, a machine in Montjuïc
At home, the Spanish team is relentless and has seven successes in as many matches in all competitions with a record of 27 goals scored and only three conceded. Relocation therefore does not really seem to disrupt it. “There are certain matches that they played this year, against Bayern (4-1), against Real (4-0), that it is better not to watch, because otherwise, I think that we would have stayed in Brest,” smiled the Brest coach.
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Blaugrana are among the favorites to lift the Big Ears Cup on May 31 in Munich. But as strong as it is, the Barcelona team has already lost three times this season, including once against Monaco in the Champions League. It even remains with a defeat and a draw in the championship. On Tuesday, Brest's chances are slim, obviously, but they exist. “Of course we want to propose things, not necessarily to be a team with a low block and wait to see what will happen,” explains Éric Roy, whose team also announces itself with certainties in the Champions League, with a record of three wins and one draw!
Do not fall into the Catalan offside trap
The Catalan game remains based on possession with enormous intensity in recovery and a team block very high on the pitch. A tactic that has paid off because many opponents have found themselves trapped in offside in recent months, the trademark of Barça (deprived of Lamine Yamal) Hansi Flick version. Kylian Mbappé will not say the opposite…
When this machine is perfectly oiled, it therefore seems unplayable. But this energy-intensive style of play is double-edged. When recovering, Barcelona can be countered by leaving many spaces behind them as has been the case in sequences this season and Brest will have to take advantage of this. Because if in defense and in the midfield, we will have to be extra vigilant, the ability to overtake the Catalan wings with players like Abdallah Sima or Mama Baldé will be one of the keys to the match. “For me, the basis of everything is intensity with a high level of concentration and good tactical placement on the pitch. Once there is an opportunity to recover the ball, you need a quick and deep transition, so as not to give the defense time to position itself,” analyzes Enrique Martín Monreal, former Osasuna coach in the 90s. Stade Brestois knows it. He will have to produce the perfect match to hope to return from Barcelona with his European invincibility. A great new challenge!
