Placed in pot 4, Brest has logically inherited a tough draw in the Champions League. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Salzburg and Shakhtar Donetsk await the Bretons.
Third in Ligue 1 last season, Brest begins its Champions League campaign this Thursday. And even if the Breton club’s matches will not take place at the Stade Francis-Le-Blé but at the Roudourou in Guingamp, the excitement is very present before the first match against Sturm Graz. Present at a press conference, Eric Roy expressed his impatience and that of his players before this first major European meeting. Because even if Brest’s chances of qualifying are slim, the 56-year-old coach wants to take full advantage of this magnificent reward after the exceptional season achieved last season.
Incidentally, OM and its historic zero-point run in 2013-2014 were the subject of a little joke from Eric Roy. “I like it (the new format of the Champions League). I don’t always think it was better before. I found the draw to be more dynamic, creative. Two more matches, that’s not bad. Even if I imagine that it will make the season complicated for us (editor’s note: in Ligue 1). At the same time, after having realized what we did last year, if we don’t start from the principle of enjoying it to the fullest, it’s a bit stupid.” Eric Roy told the press before concluding.
Eric Roy wants Brest to exist in the Champions League
“Of the eight teams, there are matches where we have a duty to exist. Afterwards, maybe we’ll get zero points, like other French teams have done before us (smile)” said Eric Roy, who is now eagerly awaiting his team’s first match. And even though he knows that Brest has little chance of making the top 24 in the league phase, the Breton coach believes that his team must have a say in certain matches… starting with Thursday’s home game against Sturm Graz, one of the most affordable opponents in Brest’s draw.
