The 31-year-old midfielder suffered a stress fracture in his foot towards the end of last season. It had been hoped that the key man would be ready for the start of the campaign for Brest, however, that was not the case. He does now return to the squad although it is highly unlikely that he will start. 

Abdallah Sima, author of a memorable performance in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, is absent. No reason has been provided for his absence from the matchday squad as of now. It is Ludovic Ajorque who will start up front for Brest, with Mama Baldé out on the right and Mathias Pereira Lage on the left. 

Brest likely lineup v Le Havre

Marco Bizot; Massadio Haïdara, Abdoulaye Ndiaye, Brendan Chardonnet, Kenny Lala; Hugo Magnetti, Edimilson Fernandes, Mahdi Camara; Mathias Pereira Lage, Ludovic Ajorque, Mama Baldé. (L’Éq)

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Les Pirates left the airport in Salzburg at 10:30 pm local time on Tuesday evening following the completion of post-match duties. Their flight was scheduled to be direct to a local airport but, due to a need to refuel, had to land in Strasbourg – over 1,000km east from Brest. 

The plan had intended to retake to the skies after fuelling up but due to the closure of the airport this was impossible. Therefore, the players and coaching staff of the Breton club were forced to spend the night on the tarmac of the airport in Strasbourg.  

GFFN | Liam Wraith

The European debutants could not have asked for a better start to life in Europe’s top flight and became only the second French team after RC Strasbourg Alsace in the 1979/80 season to win their first two games in the Champions League (or European Cup) in their debut campaign. 

However, club co-president Gérard Le Saint (who owns Brest alongside his brother Denis) has joked that the best is yet to come from his team, with last season’s key performers Pierre Lees-Melou (31) and Bradley Locko (22) waiting to return from lengthy injuries. Le Saint joked to Le Télégramme, “We will have them with us for the final in Munich.” 

Brest host Leverkusen after the international break

Confidence is flowing in the north of France ahead of a visit from Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on the 23rd of October. Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen squad almost went unbeaten throughout the entire 2023/24 season, losing only once in the final of the Europa League to Atalanta BC. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland

That marks the first time in the history of this competition that four French sides have won at least one fixture in the same Champions League campaign.

Stade Brestois are the top French side in the competition right now, winning both of their matches and sitting second in the overall table with six points.

AS Monaco are the other Ligue 1 club that have yet to suffer a Champions League defeat this season, coming back from a two-goal deficit on Wednesday to earn a 2-2 draw with Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. Paris Saint-Germain, despite a defeat to Arsenal, won their first game, against Girona.

All four French sides competing in this tournament are currently positioned to make the knockout phase.

Not since the 2021-22 season have we seen more than one team from France feature in the knockout phases of the Champions League when PSG and Lille were eliminated in the Round of 16.

GFFN | Joel Lefevre

After defeating Sturm Graz in the opening matchday, Brest faced another Austrian team with Pepijn Lijnders’ Red Bull Salzburg this Tuesday in the Champions League.

Following Friday’s 3-0 Ligue 1 hammering at the hands of promoted side Auxerre, Eric Roy rotated his team with club captain Brendan Chardonnet and Bournemouth loanee Romain Faivre both benched. Salzburg, who were defeated by Sparta Prague two weeks ago pressed their opponents with their Champions League fate very much at stake. The hosts thought they got the lead with Lucas Gourna-Douath deflecting Julien Le Cardinal’s backward header. But VAR adjudged the French midfielder to be offside.

It may prove the game’s turning point because Brest would open the scoring a mere minutes later. Fed by the impeccable Ludovic Ajorque, Abdallah Sima beat Janis Blaswich with composure, scoring his second goal of the tournament. After sustaining a bout of pressure from the hosts in the early part of the second half, Brest opened the floodgates with ruthlessness well beyond their inexperience in European football. Mahdi Camara found the back of Blaswich’s net with a well-taken right footer before the struggling German goalie could only parry Hugo Magnetti’s shot into the path of Sima.

Substitute Mathias Pereira Lage put the cherry on top of the Brest cake with a near-post finish. Eric Roy’s Bretons deservedly put Pepijn Lijnders’ Salzburg to the sword with a second chastening defeat in the Champions League. As it stands, Stade Brestois 29 – the team with the lowest UEFA ranking featuring for the first time in European football – sit at the top of continental football.  For how long?

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

A victory for Éric Roy’s men would put them in some exclusive company among French sides that have participated in this competition.

Should Brest claim maximum points on Tuesday, they would become only the second French side to win their first two European Cup/Champions League fixtures.

The only previous one to achieve that was RC Strasbourg Alsace, who won both legs of their round of 32 clash with Norwegian side Start 2-1 and 4-0 in their debut European tournament.

On that occasion, the club from Alsace made it to the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Dutch giants Ajax, 4-0 on aggregate.

Brest won their opening match of the tournament, 2-1, over another Austrian side, Sturm Graz, at Stade de Roudourou in Guingamp.

Roy will be in the Brest dugout as his three-match touchline ban is only for Ligue 1. Tuesday will be the first-ever away match in Europe for Les Ty-Zéfs.

GFFN | Joel Lefevre

Amavi has struggled at times this season after being thrust into the starting XI following Bradley Locko’s severe injury. However, against RB Salzburg, it is expected that Massadio Haïdara will start for Brest. There are no fresh injury concerns for Brest, who remain without the aforementioned Locko, as well as Pierre Lees-Melou. The latter is nearing a return, but not in time to face Salzburg.

Roy has plenty of choice up front. Abdallah Sima is expected to start out on the left with Mama Baldé through the middle and Romain Del Castillo out on the right. 

Brest likely lineup v RB Salzburg

Marco Bizot; Massadio Haïdara, Soumaïla Coulibaly, Julien Le Cardinal, Kenny Lala; Hugo Magnetti, Edimilson Fernandes, Mahdi Camara; Abdallah Sima, Mama Baldé, Romain Del Castillo. (L’Éq)

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Lees-Melou, named Get French Football News’ Ligue 1 Player of the Season last year, is yet to feature in the current campaign due to a foot injury. However, Brest manager Eric Roy has confirmed that he is close to making a return in what would be a big boost for Brest. As well as Bradley Locko, perhaps out for the entirety of the season, Julien Le Cardinal is the only other major absentee against Auxerre. He misses out through illness.

Having dropped to the bench against Toulouse FC last weekend, target-man striker Ludovic Ajorque is expected to return to the starting XI, whilst there will also be space in the line-up for Romain Faivre. 

Brest likely lineup v Auxerre

Marco Bizot; Jordan Amavi, Soumaïla Coulibaly, Brendan Chardonnet, Kenny Lala; Romain Faivre, Edimilson Fernandes, Mahdi Camara; Ibrahim Salah, Ludovic Ajorque, Romain Del Castillo. (L’Éq)

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

However, the French outlet notes that the midfielder is still some way off being fully match-fit after a lengthy absence. Lees-Melou will be unlikely to feature in the club’s next three games where the club will AJ Auxerre and RB Salzburg before hosting Le Havre at the Stade Francis-Le Blé. L’Équipe suspects the midfielder will be back on the pitch following the international break in early October.  

Lees-Melou’s influence on the pitch has been missed this season. Despite an impressive debut victory in the Champions League over SK Sturm Graz, Les Pirates have been a far cry from last season’s high-flying outfit. Brest have won twice but lost three times in Ligue 1. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland

Roy was upset with a penalty given against his side last Sunday versus Toulouse FC and was sent off for his outburst during that encounter.

Toulouse ultimately missed the penalty and Brest ended the match with a 2-0 victory, their second of the domestic campaign.

After that match, Roy has some choice words regarding the officiating.

“I spoke with the referee during our opening Champions League match (Thursday in the win against Sturm Graz), and I saw the management of the fourth referee, who was exceptional in his way of speaking and de-dramatising,” he explained. “But here, instead of engaging in dialogue, well, no, it is sanctions that come immediately. There is the very high level, and then then there is Ligue 1.”

The man who guided Brest to their best-ever Ligue 1 finish last season (third) will not be on the sidelines this weekend and must also miss their next two domestic fixtures against Le Havre AC and Stade Rennais.

He will be allowed in the dugout when Les Pirates battle RB Salzburg in Austria on matchday two of their UEFA Champions League campaign on October 1. In his absence, Roy’s assistant, Julien Lachuer, is expected to be in charge.

GFFN | Joel Lefevre