We saw you communing with the Brest supporters at the end of the match against Sparta Prague, Wednesday November 6, 2024, in the Czech capital. Your name was even chanted for several minutes. Are you the real star of the team?
Gérard Le Saint, co-president of Stade Brestois: “Oh no. There are no stars here, just great guys who have done a great job again. We are very happy, we continue to have fun and spread happiness around us. It’s a dream that continues.”
The same supporters also shouted: “Gérard, the tour”! Did you do it?
“No, no. I know that a lot of Brest supporters stayed clubbing in Prague by night, but I was more reasonable, I went to bed first. The days are long, with the travel, all that… Sometimes you have to take care of the machine.”
“It’s a huge pleasure. This shows that with limited means, we can accomplish great things when everyone is pulling in the same direction. Our values have not changed, and people identify more and more with the club.”
Your love rating is rising with the whole of Football in France, who praise the virtues of a determined and catchy team that doesn't give up. Is that nice, too?
“It’s good, because the buzz goes beyond the borders of Brittany. The little one who comes to defeat the big one, that's the most beautiful stories. David against Goliath is as old as time, but it always creates great emotions. And this year, it’s our turn, so we’re making the most of it.”
Have you received any congratulatory messages from other club leaders?
“Maybe Denis (his brother, president of the club, Editor’s note), but I didn’t receive anything. Nasser (al-Khelaïfi, president of PSG, Editor's note) did not call me! He probably has other problems to deal with, because they are not in great shape at the moment.”
Nasser (PSG) didn't call me! He probably has other problems to deal with, because they're not in great shape at the moment
A little message for former footballer Jérôme Rothen who declared before the start of your European campaign that it was not good news to see Brest qualified for the Champions League?
“Sometimes we say stupid things, me first. I'm not going to blame him. Football is not an exact science, and we have clearly seen with the history of TV rights that the economic model is increasingly precarious.”
With ten points out of twelve possible, access to the dams is almost in the pocket. However, the Roudourou stadium in Guingamp would not be qualified to host this new phase. Are you making progress on the Stade de France file?
“We started to find out, we made a phone call or two. Today, we know that 99% of us are going to continue the adventure, so we can afford to look deeper into the matter. We are going to work on the issue, but it is already necessary that from the athlete to the employees through the managers, the whole club validates the fact of going there. My wish is clearly to go to the Stade de France. With the sympathy we now arouse, I think we would have no trouble filling it. »
My wish is to go to the Stade de France. With the sympathy we now arouse, we would have no trouble filling it.
And finishing in the first eight, for direct qualification, are you thinking about it?
“Six points are missing. We play PSV Eindhoven at Roudourou where we are not at home, and Shakhtar Donetsk in Germany, where they are not at home. It can do it. But if it happens, between now and then, with 4,000 Brestois who will push, we are capable of winning against Barça! “.
With 4,000 Brest residents pushing, we are capable of winning against Barça!
With all this, do you still have time to sell fruit and vegetables?
“We try to continue working, even if it’s not the busiest time of the year. For us, the European Cup is the icing on the cake! “.
France
