This Tuesday evening, in the Champions League, while Paris Saint-Germain plays part of its European future in Germany against Bayern Munich, the little thumb from Brest moves into the lair of the Barcelona ogre.
It's the fall hit. Brest, one of the smallest budgets in the Champions League, never ceases to surprise and seduce on the European scene. With already 10 points taken in four matches during this interminable and convoluted group stage, the die-hard Bretons can hope to qualify directly for the round of 16. But facing them, stand the Barcelona mountain and the Catalan cream: the Barça of Robert Lewandowski, the man with 99 goals in the UCL – he is third top scorer in the event behind Lionel Messi, 129 goals and Cristiano Ronaldo, 140 goals.
Expected at nearly 3,000 in the stands of the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium, Finistère supporters have already stormed the famous ramblas to drink a few local drinks – in Catalan, beer is called cervesa, Paris Match is also a practical guide. It will be a great party, even if the Spanish nugget Lamine Yamal is injured.
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The bookmakers have few illusions about the French chances, but the Brestois know how to travel with already two victories outside their Breton land, in Salzburg and against Sparta Prague. Of course, moving to FC Barcelona brings back some bad memories for Ligue 1 players – remember the famous “Remontada” against PSG -, but Eric Roy's men can take inspiration from one of the greatest exploits of French football: the crushing 1-4 victory of FC Metz, October 3, 1984, 40 years ago. We were at the start of the Minitel, not yet rosy, but that evening frankly garnet.
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Not broadcast on television
Because yes, as crazy as it may seem, after a first leg match won 4-2 in Lorraine by Barça, the return match was not broadcast on television, so much so that most football lovers learned the result… by not reading the newspaper “L’Équipe” until the next day.
Even the match storyline is incredible. In front of only 24,000 spectators at the Camp Nou, FC Metz logically trailed after 38 minutes of play when, in quick succession, Tony Kurbos then Tente Sanchez against his camp gave the French the advantage, just before half-time. From then on, excitement spread through the Catalan ranks and after the break, FC Metz delivered the blow, with two new goals from Tony Kurbos, for a phenomenal hat-trick. Qualified for the round of 16 of the European Cup Winners' Cup, the Lorraine club will be eliminated in the next round by Dynamo Dresden, a club from the GDR (another thing that no longer exists). Bernd Schuster's FC Barcelona will win La Liga, ten points ahead of second place Atlético Madrid.
