Stade Brestois: A European Debut in 7 Questions

Are Brest the smallest city represented in the Champions League?

In the 2024/25 season alone, SB29 is one of 17 clubs making their debut in European competition. While Stade Brestois may seem like the "underdog" among the 36 participating teams, Brest, with its 140,000 inhabitants, isn’t the smallest city in the Champions League. Within France, the principality of Monaco has under 40,000 residents. Additionally, Girona, another surprise in this edition, barely surpasses 100,000 people. Other similarly-sized cities include Bruges (120,000), Bern (145,000), Salzburg (160,000), and Leverkusen (175,000), all representing clubs in this year's competition.

In terms of UEFA club rankings, SB29 currently sits near the bottom at 113th, as they await their first European points, similar to Stuttgart (99th) among the 36 teams.

How many French clubs have participated in the Champions League?

The surprising third-place finishers in the most recent Ligue 1 McDonald's season, Brest become the 16th French club to take part in the prestigious European Cup, and the 12th since it was rebranded as the "Champions League" (1992/93). They join clubs like Stade Rennais, RC Strasbourg Alsace, and Montpellier HSC, each of whom have had a single participation in the competition.

This will also mark the very first European campaign in Brest’s history, making them the 32nd French club to have competed in a European competition.

Can Stade Brestois succeed in their debut?

As one of the "smallest" teams in the 2024/25 edition, the challenge ahead for the Ty Zefs is immense. However, Eric Roy’s side can take hope from recent examples. RC Lens, for instance, fought until the end in their group last season, finishing just one point behind PSV, with a balanced record of two wins, two draws, and two losses. This was Lens’ first European appearance in 15 seasons.

Other French newcomers to the Champions League, such as Stade Rennais (20/21) and Montpellier HSC (12/13), struggled, but there have been brighter debuts in the past. In 1996/97, AJ Auxerre stunned Ajax with a victory at the ArenA, after Ajax had won the Champions League just two seasons prior.

How will Stade Brestois fare against more experienced opponents in the group stage? We’ll get the first answers this Thursday when they host Sturm Graz in what promises to be a historic match.

How have other French clubs fared in their Champions League debuts?

Since the creation of the Champions League group stages and Marseille’s continental title in 1992/93, French clubs have generally performed well in their first match (excluding qualifiers). Out of the 11 French teams to have played in the competition, the country has recorded 4 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses.

Here’s how French clubs have performed in their first Champions League match:

• Olympique de Marseille (92/93): Win vs Glentoran (0-5)
• AS Monaco (93/94): Win vs Spartak Moscow (4-1)
• PSG (94/95): Win vs Bayern Munich (2-0)
• FC Nantes (95/96): Draw vs FC Porto (0-0)
• AJ Auxerre (96/97): Loss vs Ajax (1-0)
• RC Lens (98/99): Draw vs Arsenal (1-1)
• Bordeaux (99/00): Draw vs S.Prague (0-0)
• Olympique Lyonnais (00/01): Win vs Heerenveen (3-1)
• LOSC Lille (01/02): Loss vs Manchester United (1-0)
• Montpellier HSC (12/13): Loss vs Arsenal FC (1-2)
• Stade Rennais (20/21): Draw vs Krasnodar (1-1)

What experience does the Brest squad have in European competition?

On the pitch, Stade Brestois lacks significant European experience, despite signing 12 players this summer. As they prepare to face the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen, the Breton side is very much an underdog in the competition. The squad collectively boasts just 22 Champions League appearances. Girona, for example, have 61 Champions League appearances from one player, Daley Blind.

With the inclusion of preliminary rounds, Brest’s total rises to 37 appearances. However, even against their opening opponents, Graz, who have 50 appearances, Brest remains inexperienced.

Only five players in Eric Roy's squad have featured in the Champions League. New signings Soumaïla Coulibaly (7 games with Dortmund and Antwerp) and Massadio Haïdara (4 games with RC Lens last season), along with Jordan Amavi (5 games with Marseille), Jonas Martin (2 games), and Romain Del Castillo (4 games) offer some experience. The latter two both played for Stade Rennais in 2020/21, while Del Castillo had previously debuted in the Champions League with Montpellier in 2012/13.

Brest’s overall European experience rises significantly when factoring in other competitions, with 193 European matches to their name, including Marco Bizot’s 35 matches and Kenny Lala’s 20. However, this remains far behind PSG’s 581 Champions League appearances.

Are Stade Brestois the first French club not to play at their home stadium?

This is not a first. In the 2005/06 season, LOSC Lille had a similar situation in the Champions League. Unable to use their home stadium, Lille played their European fixtures at the Stade de France, and still managed to remain unbeaten at home, including a victory over Manchester United.

Brest, however, will host their Youth League matches at Stade Francis-Le Blé this season. Other teams, like Shakhtar Donetsk, are also using a temporary home, receiving their opponents in Germany’s Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen.

What are Stade Brestois’ Champions League fixtures?

With the new format of the Champions League and its 36-team league phase, Brest are guaranteed to play at least eight matches.

Their campaign kicks off this Thursday against Graz at Guingamp’s stadium, before a trip to Salzburg (Tuesday, October 1, 18:45). They will then host Bayer Leverkusen (Wednesday, October 23, 18:45), followed by two consecutive away games (vs Prague on Wednesday, November 6, and vs Barcelona on Tuesday, November 26).

A single December match is scheduled, against PSV in Brittany on Tuesday, December 10. Brest’s campaign concludes in January, with a trip to face Shakhtar in Gelsenkirchen (Wednesday, January 22, 18:45), and a final group match against Real Madrid at "home" on Wednesday, January 29.

To secure a direct ticket to the Round of 16, Brest will need to finish in the top eight. Teams finishing 9th to 24th will enter a playoff round, while the others will be eliminated without a Europa League fallback.

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