Brest are reportedly planning to use Saint-Denis’ Stade de France – the largest stadium in France – for their Champions League games beyond the competition’s league stage, according to France Bleu. Stade Brestois 29 currently use their Brittany rivals’ ground – Guingamp’s Stade du Roudourou – for their Champions League games as UEFA ruled that their Francis Le Blé home does not fit their standards.
Brest have defied all all the odds in the Champions League thus far. For their first-ever European competition, the Pirates have won four games – against Sturm Graz, Red Bull Salzburg, Sparta Prague and PSV Eindhoven – drawn one against Bayer Leverkusen and lost to FC Barcelona. Stade Brestois 29 are currently seventh in the UCL standings with two games left to play, against FC Shakhtar and Real Madrid.
Brest’s game against the Champions League holders may very well be their final outing at Guingamp with the Ligue 1 club’s executives considering a stadium switch. With 13 points, Brest have all but ensured their qualification for, at least, the playoff rounds. But UEFA’s stadium requirements for the knockout stages differ from those of the league phase. This means the Roudourou will need to be refurbished in February at the earliest, at the expense of fans.
However, Guingamp are being kept in the dark regarding Brest’s intentions. “We have no news, I have no official request to welcome them again. It’s their call and it’s not up to me to discuss the matter“, said Guingamp Mayor Philippe Le Goff to France Bleu. The outlet understands that Rennes’ Roazhon Park is not being considered by Brest, which leaves the door open for a switch to the 80.000-seater Stade de France, despite Brest fans voicing their opposition as the Brittany town lies 600 km away from Saint-Denis. The last Champions League game hosted at the Stade de France was the 2022 final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, which turned catastrophic.
GFFN | Bastien Cheval