Gambardella Cup. Stade Brestois – Tours, Sunday (2:30 p.m.)
Between September and December last year, young people from Brest took part in Europe by participating in the Youth League. A great first for the club and for Axel Bargain, starter in the six matches played by Brest in this competition. At the age of 18, the central defender was able to learn excellent lessons from this experience, which will be useful to him for the rest of his career, and he has emerged from it grown.
From the first match, it was obvious that we had to adjust our intensity, in the duels and in the game in general. I could see a difference between us and other European clubs, not so much in terms of physical appearance, but rather in terms of efficiency. In both areas, we were a little behind: we conceded too many goals and we didn’t score enough. In the championship, the intensity of the duels is less because we meet a lot of young players. There, all the clubs were professional and we played against men. The duels were much more intense. The transitions were also more calm, we took more time to construct the actions. In terms of training, the other teams are ready to take the step to the professional level, while on our side, there are still steps to take.
-I became aware of the importance of concentration and rigor throughout the match. You have to stay focused for 90 minutes, a small mistake can pay for itself immediately. In professionals, we often see it: a mistake can be costly. I must integrate this rigor into my daily game.
Will your experience in the Youth League allow you to approach future matches differently?
Of course ! I saw the intensity that needs to be put in place and I understood that I am capable of providing it. This allowed me to target the aspects I need to work on, in training and during matches. It is this requirement that I must aim for in order to progress and approach the professional level. I see more clearly the path to take to achieve this goal.
