Brest's phenomenal pre-season proved the team's ambition to once again fight for a place in Europe but the Pirates will kick off their season with a serious test – a clash against a familiar rival – Lille.
Brest and Lille met in the same stadium just over three months ago, near the end of the previous campaign and the Pirates were the only reason the Mastiffs will not be in the Champions League this season. Lille haven't won at Stade Francis-Le Ble in 12 years and their fans have every right to be worried ahead of the first round. The Mastiffs barely won three of their last 10 Ligue 1 away fixtures, and their performance in the pre-season was not exactly promising either.
Eric Roy, who led Brest to their debut in the Champions League, will be eager to record a better start than the previous campaign. While the Pirates played in Europe, their domestic performance was below standard, proving that the team was not prepared for the additional physical exertion. His team laid the foundations for a good start during the pre-season friendlies, winning four in a row before finishing level with Sassuolo in the last match.
How the bookies view it: They underestimate the Pirates
Contrary to our expectations, bookmakers see Lille as a solid betting favourite, despite their poor performance at this venue three months ago. You can currently back Brest at 23/10, the draw at 12/5, or Lille at 6/5.
Recent head to head: Brest won here three months ago
The home advantage in this rivalry has been quite significant, as we haven't seen an away win since Lille's last triumph at Stade Francis-Le Ble in March 2013. Since then, Brest and Lille have three wins each as hosts, while four matches ended level. Most recently, the Pirates won 2-0 in May, destroying Lille's chances for Champions League football.
Players to watch: Giroud returns to Ligue 1
Ludovic Ajorque was Brest's most impactful player in the final third last season, scoring 13 league goals for the team. More importantly, his name appeared on the scoresheets in both H2Hs against Lille.
On the other end, Olivier Giroud will make his official debut for Lille and try to compensate for Jonathan David's departure, who left for Juventus after scoring 109 goals for the Mastiffs. But the veteran World Cup winner scored three goals across the last two friendlies and appears to be in top shape for his age.
Probable line-ups
Brest: Coudert, Lala, Chardonnet, Diaz, Locko, Camara, Magnetti, Melou, Castillo, Doumbia, Ajorque
Lille: Bodart, Mandi, Ngoy, Ribeiro, Perraud, Andre, Makau, Haraldsson, Broholm, Correia, Giroud
Anything else catch the eye?
First-round fixtures are often quite different as both sides come out well rested and hungry to prove themselves. And we often see huge scorelines, as proven by Brest's record in recent years. Four of their last five opening matches ended with a minimum of four goals.
We believe that bookmakers made a huge mistake with this fixture, giving Lille the betting advantage. We expect Olivier Giroud to score and reming the world of his class, but Brest are a fantastic host and one of Lille's toughest rivals. Lille haven't won at this stadium in five consecutive attempts, also losing last season's edition 2-0. We expect to see action on both ends and a positive outcome for Brest, even if this means a draw.
GambleAware