Brest were beaten 3-2 by Monaco on Friday night. It was their third defeat in a row in Ligue 1 and left them placed in 12th, just three points above the drop zone. Coach Eric Roy admitted afterwards that there was every chance his side could be dragged into a relegation battle: “I think we’ll have to look behind us rather than in front of ourselves in the coming weeks.”
However, if the league table makes for worrying reading for Brest, the Champions League standings are a very different story altogether. As it stands, just three teams sit above them, and only the leaders, Liverpool (12) have amassed more points than the Bretons (10). Even more incredibly, Brest’s next opponents, Barcelona, the best team in Spain right now, actually trail Roy’s team going into Tuesday’s game at the Montjuic.
So, what is going on?! How is a tiny club from the north-west of France outperforming some of Europe’s elite? And could the Champions League debutants actually progress directly to the last 16 while battling relegation back home?…