Brest is no longer a team that surprises, due to its play or its ranking, but a club installed in its rightful place, in this case, second in the French football championship (with 47 points). In search of a first qualification in its history in the European Cup, the Finistère team battles match after match to consolidate its place as runner-up to PSG, with some difficulties.
Sunday March 17, for the 26th day of Ligue 1, the Bretons were held (1-1) by the Dogues de Lille (4th, 43 points), direct competitors for a European place, after losing to Lens , during the previous round. With the 15th budget of the championship, the Ty-Zefs initially struggled to play their football, usually attractive, during a contested first period, but without major opportunities.
When returning to the locker room, Bruno Grougi, the assistant to Eric Roy, head coach of Stade Brestois, however appeared confident at the microphone of Prime Video: “We will have to exploit this width (…), it can be played out on the last quarter of an hour. »
The diagnosis was correct, but the remedy was not necessarily to its advantage, since the Brestois suffered the wrath of the top scorer of the European championships in 2024, the Canadian from Lille Jonathan David (author of his 15th goal of the year), at the 67th minute of play. Cornered but far from being defeated, the residents of Stade Francis-Le Blé were enthusiastically supported by their approximately 15,000 supporters.
Pierre Lees-Melou, precious midfielder
And rightly so, since the salvation of the Bretons came, as Bruno Grougi had predicted, in the last fifteen minutes, with a successful recovery from Uruguayan striker Martin Satriano (79th). Jostled until the end, Eric Roy’s troops were able to count on their Dutch goalkeeper, Marco Bizot, who made seven saves. Above all, the Brestois were still able to rely on the Frenchman Pierre Lees-Melou, cornerstone of the team’s midfield since the start of the season. In the sentry position, on the front line to cut off opposing offensives, the former Nice player has also become the master player of the Finistère club.
And like his full season, the thirty-year-old delivered a performance worthy of the duel fought by the Mastiffs, enough to ensure a draw, and above all avoid a second consecutive defeat. Forged in Dijon, then on the Côte d’Azur, but often remaining in the shadow of his teammates, the agile midfielder is having his best footballing year, this time in the spotlight. Which earned him the praise of his coach on March 3, after a victory against Le Havre (1-0), acquired on a heavy strike from the right-hander: “He almost deserves to have a selection [with the team of France]. »
A tip of the hat to the man who left the amateur world late, at 21, and who preferred to dismiss with a smile a possible future in the blue jersey: “I told the coach that he had a little inflamed, replied the wearer of number 20. The step is high. I’m not saying that I would refuse, but I’m more of a team player, simple, shadowy (…), and I’ve already booked my vacation (…) for this summer”, when the Euro 2024 (June 14-July 14)
A stadium at the end of its life
A time announced, during the winter transfer window, leaving for neighboring Rennes, Pierre Lees-Melou finally remained in the harbor of Brest to conclude the 2023-2024 financial year. And, perhaps, introduce a European Cup to the club he joined in 2022. The only problem is that Stade Francis-Le Blé does not meet the standards of European requirements, and already benefits from exemptions from French authorities .
The Brestois, in the event of qualifying for the Champions League, will probably have to relocate during the continental evenings, with Roazhon Park in Rennes in the sights. The renovation work on the Armorican den, considered too cumbersome by François Cuillandre, the city’s mayor, does not seem to be in progress. “This is one of the hazards of high-level sport,” he said on March 8 in the columns of L’Équipe. On a stadium which, in my eyes, is at the end of its life, we are not going to carry out extremely important work because we have to play the European Cup. We will do our utmost, within reason, to ensure that the matches take place at Le Blé. »
The fact remains that the Ty-Zefs must not skip ahead, and that qualification, although well underway, has not yet been confirmed. On their way between now and the end of the season, the Brestois will still have to compete with a few big names who claim the same places. Starting with Monaco, lying in ambush behind them in the Ligue 1 standings, which they will host on April 21, without forgetting Rennes, for a Breton derby in Ille-et-Vilaine, on April 27.
Until then, another regional clash awaits the Brestois. After the international break, on March 31, they will travel to Lorient, with the aim of returning to success to maintain their European dreams.
