Brest resorted to finding an agreement with Brittany rivals En Avant Guingamp to use their stadium for their midweek Champions League games. The 18.000-seater Roudourou last hosted a European competition ten years ago when Guingamp qualified for the Europa League group stage courtesy of their 2014 Coupe de France triumph at the expense of Brittany rivals Rennes.

As a newcomer in the Champions League, Brest have been drawn in Pot 4. The tournament’s main draw will be held this Thursday in Monaco. With the tournament expanding to 36 teams, Brest will at least play eight group-stage games, including four at Guingamp.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

The outlet understands that Brest, who will be drawn in Pot 4 in the revamped 36-team Champions League, have got in touch with UEFA to announce them they would play in the 18.000-capacity Roudourou. Brest are set to play eight group games, including four at Guingamp, against two teams from each pot. L’Equipe adds that UEFA planned to send in experts to assess the Roudourou. The ground last welcomed European football back in 2014 when Guingamp qualified for the Europa League group stage on the back of their shock Coupe de France win.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

Dumont had managed the Bretons for the past three seasons but after a mildly disappointing campaign where the Ligue 2 side failed to make the playoffs after finishing ninth, the manager was allowed to walk. 

Guingamp’s search for Dumont’s replacement looks as if it will be coming to a swift end, as according to Ouest France, the club are close to announcing Sylvain Ripoll in the role despite speaking to a range of different candidates including Stéphane Le Mignan, Oswald Tanchot, Zoumana Camara and Bruno Irles. 

The former France U21s manager has been out of work since last summer when he was fired from the position he had held for six years due to the nation’s shock exit to Ukraine in the quarter-finals of the Euros. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland

Unfortunately for Brest, there won’t be any midweek games against the European elite at their historic Stade Francis Le Blé home. The stadium falls way short of UEFA’s requirements when it comes to design, accommodation and safety. UEFA would have only allowed letting in 5.000 fans, which has been deemed unacceptable by Brest. The club resorted to beginning discussions with their local rivals in Brittany in their quest for a new home.

Speaking to Le Télégramme after Brest’s 3-0 win at Toulouse on Sunday, the town mayor Francis Cuillandre announced that, barring any unexpected change of heart, Ligue 2 side Guingamp are set to lend their 18.000-seater Stade du Roudourou to their Brest rivals. “The European Cup is set to be played there”, Cuillandre said. “I had the Guingamp mayor on the phone. Normally, that will be it.” Stade du Roudourou has the advantage of being closer to Brest than Rennes’ Roazhon Park, which would facilitate travel arrangements for both the club and its supporters.

Lille set to play their UCL third qualifying round away from home

Brest are not the only club that have been forced to find a new home. In falling to fourth place at the last minute, Lille will have to play two rounds of qualifying to reach the 36-team Champions League. The first two-legged tie is due to be held at the start of August. However, Lille’s Stade Pierre-Mauroy won’t host Les Dogues as it will be used to hold the Olympic handball tournament knock-out stage during the Paris Summer Games.

Lille president Olivier Létang has hinted to Le Parisien that Valenciennes’ Stade du Hainaut is set to host Lille’s home Champions League third qualifying round.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

Brest were hoping to play their continental football at their home stadium – Stade Francis Le Blé. However, UEFA have deemed that their stadium does not meet requirements. For stadiums to be able to hold games in continental competition, they need to be a category 4 stadium. UEFA has ruled the Stade Francis Le Blé as a category 2 ground.  

In discussions with Breton rivals 

As they search for a home in Europe next season, Brest have now begun discussions with their domestic rivals in Brittany. After such a superb season, they have been dealt with the awkward situation of persuading local clubs to let them use their stadiums in European football next season. No agreement has yet been finalised but Rennes and Guingamp look the most likely destinations. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith

The Honduras international suffered a clash of heads with Guingamp’s Donatien Gomis in the opening 34 seconds of the second division match. Elis collapsed following the collision and after receiving lengthy treatment, the 28-year-old was stretchered off the pitch and surrounded by his teammates. The Matmut Atlantique applauded the Bordeaux forward as he left the field to receive further treatment.  

Prime Video confirmed that the Honduran was concisious in the minutes following his exit from the field, after eight minutes of treatment but remained in the stadium to undergo further assessments. He has since been transferred to a hospital in a conscious state.  

GFFN | Liam Wraith

The former French youth international is Les Girondins‘ fifth signing of the summer, as part of a squad rebuild which the club hope can see them secure promotion back to Ligue 1 at the second time of asking. Other arrivals have included Slovenian striker Žan Vipotnik from Maribor, French defender Jean Marcelin from Monaco, and former Sochaux captain Gaëtan Weissbeck, an attacking midfielder.

Livolant, who comes from nearby Morlaix, came through the youth ranks at Guingamp and had been named captain. After loan spells at Boulogne, Châteauroux and Sochaux, he had become a regular in the first-team over the past three campaigns. Last season, he registered nine goals and eleven assists in the second tier, helping the Bretons to a sixth-place finish.

https://twitter.com/ATLUTD/status/1676943272739065857

“Tristan is a player we are excited to bring into our team this summer,” Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said. ”He’s a versatile midfielder who can cover ground defensively and progress the ball forward in attack. His playing profile and skill set fit well with our team and are a good complement to the group of players we have on the roster.” Muyumba was tied to Guingamp on a contract which was set to expire in 2024. The MLS franchise adds that it used Targeted Allocation Money to bring Muyumba to Atlanta. The Frenchman is now tied with The Five Stripes through to the 2027 season.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

Here’s how it went down: Jaouen signed a 5-year Elite contract in 2022 with Guingamp. However, the league authorities could not validate it because Jaouen was still a minor at the time.

According to Guingamp’s press release, the club and Jaouen’s advisors then had agreed to sign a Trainee contract when the player would turn 18, in December 2023. But until then, Jaouen was a free agent. It appears Jaouen took advantage of his status to leave Guingamp and break his promise. The decision has taken the Bretons aback. Club president Fred Le Grand mentions that Jaouen’s decision caused “misunderstanding, disappointment and anger.“

According to L’Équipe, Jaouen will sign a three-year deal with Ligue 1 side Reims.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

An opening proposal was submitted by Atlanta United at the beginning of this week – EAG were however open to constructive talks over a possible deal and made a counter-offer.

The MLS side returned with a proposal that has come close to matching the demands of EAG, and all parties now believe that a deal is imminent, despite a number of 2.Bundesliga clubs being interested in the player, including FC Hansa Rostock.

The defensive midfielder began his career in the AS Monaco youth academy and then bounced around a number of outfits, including an unsuccessful loan at Monaco’s sister outfit Cercle Brugge and a very short-lived spell at Toulon in 2020. Muyumba then joined EA Guingamp’s reserve team and slowly worked his way up, being a key part of the EAG side that achieved a mid-table status in 2022/23, making 35 appearances in Ligue 2 during this campaign.

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