Barcelona – Brest: match summary [Vidéo]

Yes, Stade Brestois can lose a Champions League match. Éric Roy's men had so accustomed us to multiplying their exploits, to sublimating themselves in the Champions League, that we had almost forgotten that the Finistère club, which is discovering a European Cup for the first time in its history, remains a little Thumb in this competition, the most prestigious there is. She managed to make the extraordinary possible, winning ten points after four days. Except that at Montjuïc, the step this time was too high, much too high.

Another world

Nothing surprising in itself, because since the start of the season, a match in Barcelona, ​​at the Montjuïc Olympic stadium, represents one of the most complicated trips in Europe. Stade Brestois had to play the perfect match, and Barcelona did not, to hope for anything. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Without merit, he simply bowed to the stronger side. One or even two classes of difference separated the two formations. Because theBarça remains Barça and when the Catalan machine deploys, it becomes difficult to stop. For 90 minutes, the Blaugranas played a slick game with repeated passes, both between the lines and to get around the Brest block (76% possession), unparalleled technical accuracy and crazy intensity in recovery. Despite a real desire of Éric Roy's men to quickly project themselves, taking advantage in particular of the quality of delivery of Ludovic Ajorque or the burst of speed of Abdallah Sima, then of Mama Baldé, to operate against, they do not did not have sufficient weapons to respond to the Barcelona challenge both up front and in midfield.

Bizot offers the 100th goal in C1 to Lewandowski

Although the start of the match suggested that Stade Brestois was not having any complexes and could have some opportunities, hope was quickly dashed. After a series of passes, Pedri, with a subtle dive, wanted to find Lewandowski. Marco Bizot rushed and missed his exit on the Blaugrana striker and the referee logically pointed to the penalty spot. The Pole took justice into his own hands to make football history even further by scoring his 100th goal in the Champions League (10'). Only Cristiano Ronaldo (141) and Lionel Messi (129) had passed this bar, that's saying something! Although this mistake was obviously regrettable, the Dutch goalkeeper made up for it by making a superb save in front of Lopez twice (40', 53').

And when it wasn't Bizot, Brendan Chardonnet kept an eye on things by making a miraculous save on the line to clear an attempt by Olmo (61'). But the Barcelona talent spoke once again and the Spanish international performed a nice number in the area to logically give his team the break (66'). And Lewandowski, again, completed a superb Catalan performance (90' + 3).

We thought that Pereira Lage, who had just come on as a substitute, had reduced the score, but he was ultimately flagged for offside (76'). In Barcelona, ​​Stade Brestois therefore fell for the first time in Europe against a serious candidate for final victory. What could be more logical, finally!

The technical sheet.

Referee: M. Peljto (BIH)

BUTS. Barcelona: Lewandowski (10' sp, 90'+ 2), Olmo (66').

Warnings. Brest: Lala (25'), Camara (63'), Ajorque (74'), Le Cardinal (81').

BARCELONA: Inaki Pena – Koundé, Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Martin (Baldé, 78') – Pedri (De Jong, 88'), Casado, Fermin (Torre, 78') – Raphinha (cap), Lewandowski, Olmo (Gavi, 67' ).

BREST : Bizot – Lala, Chardonnet (cap), Le Cardinal, Haïdara – Fernandes (Martin, 77'), Camara (Faivre, 69'), Magnetti – Doumbia (Pereira Lage, 69'), Ajorque (Del Castillo, 77'), Sima (Baldé, 59').