UCL Recap: Brest beaten by Real, but qualify for play-offs (0-3)

Despite a great performance against the European Champions, Brest fell to Real Madrid at Stade Roudourou but qualified for the play-offs in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League. 

It was finally the moment for Stade Brestois. The pinnacle of this European league phase, a match-up which defies logic: welcoming Real Madrid in the final league game of the UEFA Champions League. After the build-up all week long in Brittany, it was finally time for the European Champions to grace the pitch of Stade Roudourou to face Les Pirates.

It finished with a three-goal loss for the Breton side, which means Brest will face the UCL play-offs in February to determine their progression in the tournament. Rodyrgro would open the scoring for Les Brestois. Seconds after a magnificent save from Marco Bizot, the Brazilian would follow up and finish into the back of the net via the post (27').

Ajorque made Roudourou roar... but

Ludovic Ajorque was fed inside the box and he finished into the back of the net with an outside foot finish, but it would be ruled out for offside after a VAR check. Immediately it would go from bad to worse, as Jude Bellingham doubled the lead for Los Blancos shortly after. The Englishman picked up on Mbappé's miss from a low cross and finished past Marco Bizot (56'). The second goal of the evening had put Les Brestois into the last qualifying spots for the UCL play-offs.

Brest had yet another chance to get themselves into the game when Kenny Lala combined well with Ajorque, who's arrowed strike was parried away well by Real keeper Thibault Courtois. Yet Rodrygo kept providing a threat for the away side, he was making life hard for those Brest defenders, but fortunately for the Bretons his strike was miraculously blocked at the last moment and ended up in the gloves of Bizot. Éric Roy would then go on to roll the changes for the home side, with Camara and Baldé coming off for Del Castillo and Sima.

Yet it couldn't change what felt inevitable, when Kylian Mbappé strode into the box past several Brest defenders who did their best to block the Frenchman's strike. Yet the scorer of the first goal Rodrygo would follow up with a first time finish to poke home and put the game out of reach for Les Pirates (78'). 

Yet there was no need for disappointment, as Brest are one of the four French clubs to have qualified for the next phase of the UEFA Champions League.

THE STAT: French European History 

Four Ligue 1 McDonald's sides have qualified for the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in French football history. 

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