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Aurélien Burban
Published on
Nov 17 2024 at 6:30 a.m
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An obstacle course! Bébert and five friends from Stade Pontivyen experienced a difficult journey to arrive at the where did you go to Sparta Prague? in the Czech Republic.
In the end, they saw Stade Brestois shine once again in the Champions League. Along the way, they took advantage of the beautiful architecture of the capital, as well as its crazy evenings.
A flight to Prague found that same morning
On the night of November 5 to 6, 2024, flights from Nantes-Atlantique airport were canceled due to a firefighters’ strike. Bad luck for the group of friends who stay up all night to keep up to date with the news. “At 11:30 p.m., we found out that our flight was definitely canceled,” says Bertrand Le Mentec. One withdraws, and decides to go to work the next day: Frédéric Le Galliard, the biggest fan of the Stade Brestois group.
On Wednesday morning, there were only six left wondering if there was another solution. But as Bertrand Le Mentec indicates: “Aurélien (Labbé) will find us one! I have confidence! »
His flair is good because this same assistant coach at Stade Pontivyen looks at his phone while having a coffee at 9 a.m. He finds another flight, but he has to go to Orly airport to take it.
He therefore contacted his friends: Bébert, Aurélien Robic, Christophe Toriellec, Jean-Charles Guillemot and Loïc Le Belleguic. Spontaneously, everyone responds: “Come on, let’s go!” »
Bus, train, plane to reach Prague
An hour and a half later, they all take the bus at Pontivy bus station, heading towards Rennes to catch a train to Paris. “We were too nervous, but above all excited, to rest,” emphasizes Bertrand.
Arriving at Montparnasse station at 3 p.m., the Pontivy residents had to wait three and a half hours before boarding Orly for Prague. Never mind, you might as well drink a beer at the foot of the Montparnasse Tower, already dreaming of hearing the famous music of the Champions League in the stadium.
A taxi at 160 km/h
A dream that does not come true… Arriving at the airport in a taxi, these supporters’ flight is twenty minutes late. But it lasts less than expected: an hour and 40 minutes later, they land in Prague.
And there, as Bertrand declares: “We should never have told the Uber driver that we were going to the match. » Because the famous scene from the film Taxi, with the famous white Peugeot 406 of Daniel (character played by Samy Naceri) driving at more than 100 km/h in the streets of Marseille, the group of friends experienced it in Prague.
The driver drove up to 160 km/h for around 20 kilometers from the airport to the stadium.
One fear then leads to another. The six friends are dropped off right in front of the Generali Arenawith their luggage. Getting into the stadium then becomes complicated. “It was difficult to make us understand. Finally, the security manager had our belongings locked up until we could attend the match,” explains Bébert.
The Pontivyens among the Brest ultras
It is therefore at the kick-off of the second half that the Breton group arrives in the warm European atmosphere. And it is placed… in the Brest parking lot.
It was a crazy atmosphere. Too bad we didn’t take the time to take out our swimsuits. There were chants throughout the meeting. The ultras took us for Brestois.
Bertrand even saw a certain Valentin Madouas, Olympic road cycling vice-champion, among the 1,000 Breton spectators.
It is in the south-east corner of the Epet Arena that the six Pontivyens experience a new beautiful story of the epic of the Stade Brestois (2-1 victory).
Brest is solid in the Champions League. Opposite, we had the impression that Sparta had no desire. But his supporters did not whistle the players.
At the end of the meeting, the six friends congratulate the SB 29 players who came to see them, as well as the club co-president Gérard Lesaint. At midnight, leaving the stadium, Bébert greets the former professional player Clément Grenier, consultant today for Canal+.
The Stadistes, happy to have witnessed a new page in Breton football history, collected their luggage and walked two kilometers to reach their Airbnb accommodation. But before resting, the six football fans have one (or several) nightcap at the foot of the building where they live during their stay in Prague. Just to debrief on their crazy first European day.
Between visits and Czech evenings
On Thursday and Friday, the gang, recovered from their emotions, visits the Czech capital. “We looked upstream to see what there was to observe,” says Bertrand.
Prague Castle, cathedrals, Astronomical Clock, Dancing House : “We will be amazed in this city with its beautiful architecture. » Aurélien Robic even poses in front of the John Lennon wallwhere he finds a sticker of the Stade Brestois. Bébert prefers to take a photo with a Czech policewoman.
In Prague, the sun sets early, around 4:30 p.m. The lights of the city dazzle this happy group of partygoers who taste the local specialties at the restaurant, for lunch and dinner. But also, she takes part in Czech evenings, going to different bars with various concepts. “One was built in length, like the Bob Pub in Pontivy, but 30 times larger,” describes Bertrand who goes from discovery to discovery.
The gay guys attend a concert every evening. “We were all alone in a room. Then it filled up and there was a band coming to play. We were in the front row. It was great! » At that moment, the Pontivyens met English internationals from… cricket!
We celebrated with them. They made me play virtual cricket. I don’t know how I did, but I made a nice move, and they all jumped on me.
It was with a head full of memories that he and his friends left Prague on Saturday November 9, 2024, taking a taxi at 8 a.m. and taking off for Nantes at 9:50 a.m.
Arriving in Pontivy at 3:30 p.m., Bertrand sits down on the sofa and declares inwardly: “I would have liked to spend one more day in Prague. »
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