Brest Falls Short in Bid for European Football Next Season

Stade Brestois’ dreams of returning to European competition next season were likely shattered on Sunday after a 3-1 defeat to RC Lens. The loss ended Brest’s five-match unbeaten run and left them seven points behind sixth-placed Olympique Lyonnais with only four games remaining.

While a repeat European qualification always seemed unlikely for Brest after their Champions League debut this season, hope persisted until this weekend. The team had found form recently, losing just three times since early January despite squad depth issues.

The match started promisingly for Brest when Pierre Lees-Melou gave them an early lead. However, Lens quickly equalized through Goduine Koyalipou. Controversy arose when Brest was denied a penalty by VAR, while Lens was awarded one after Abdoulaye Ndiaye’s contentious red card.

Brest manager Eric Roy expressed frustration post-match, saying, “Our season’s end has been unfairly taken from us.” He added, “While our season isn’t over, making up seven points in four games seems impossible. This match, with all its setbacks, effectively concludes our campaign.”

With European qualification now improbable, attention turns to Roy’s future at the club. His contract expires this summer, and extension talks have stalled. Roy stated, “I’m happy here and open to extending. We need to reach an agreement, but negotiations haven’t started yet.”

If Roy stays, Brest’s future looks more stable. He has proven capable of molding the team into a top-half contender. Next season, without European commitments, Brest could potentially mount a more consistent challenge for continental qualification under his guidance.