26/27 Preview #2: Stade Brestois 29

Stade Brestois enter 2026/27 under new head coach Julien Lachuer as they look to preserve the legacy and identity built during Éric Roy's remarkable spell in Brittany.

Last season

After the extraordinary adventure of 2024/25, which saw Brest compete in the UEFA Champions League for the first time, last season represented something of a return to reality. Les Pirates ultimately finished 12th in Ligue 1 McDonald's with 39 points, comfortably securing another season in the top flight but ending the campaign with nine consecutive matches without a victory.

Their 10 league wins ensured that they remained clear of the relegation battle, although inconsistency prevented Éric Roy's side from challenging further up the table. They signed off with a 1-1 draw against Angers at the Stade Francis-Le Blé, bringing another solid season in the top flight to an end.

Football was put firmly into perspective over the summer when Roy passed away on 17 June at the age of 58. The coach had transformed Brest during his three-and-a-half years at the club, taking them from a relegation battle to a historic third-place finish and an unforgettable UEFA Champions League campaign.

The coach: Julien Lachuer

Brest have opted for continuity by handing the reins to Julien Lachuer, one of Roy's assistants since January 2023. The 49-year-old was alongside his predecessor throughout the club's remarkable rise and therefore possesses an intimate knowledge of both the squad and the principles that have underpinned their recent success.

It will be Lachuer's first permanent position as the head coach of a professional first team, but the former Auxerre midfielder believes the collective identity established over recent seasons must remain at the heart of the project. "It wasn't because we had the best players, it was because we had the best team," he said when reflecting on Brest's recent achievements.

There has also been significant change elsewhere at the club, with long-serving sporting director Grégory Lorenzi departing during the summer. Brest have since reorganised their sporting structure, with Lachuer given a broader role and greater emphasis being placed on developing players from the academy.

Key arrivals

It has so far been a relatively quiet summer in the transfer market for Brest. Joseph Nonge is the headline addition, with the 21-year-old Belgian midfielder joining from Turkish side Kocaelispor on a three-year contract with the option of a further season. A former Anderlecht academy player, Nonge continued his development at Juventus and also gained experience in France during a loan spell with Troyes.

Several young players have also returned from loan spells, including Justin Bourgault, Axel Camblan and Samba Hane Diop, and the club's renewed emphasis on youth could provide them with opportunities during the campaign.

Experience is also expected to be added to the defence, with former Le Havre centre-back Gautier Lloris set to join on a two-year contract. Further additions could follow before the end of the transfer window as Lachuer continues to shape his squad.

Key departures

Rather than losing several major players through permanent transfers, much of Brest's squad turnover has come through the expiry of loan deals. Goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki has returned to Monaco after spending last season as Brest's first choice, while Junior Diaz has gone back to Troyes.

Soumaïla Coulibaly has returned to Strasbourg and Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe to Eintracht Frankfurt, while Rémy Labeau-Lascary returned to Lens before subsequently joining Auxerre on loan. Those departures have reduced the depth available to Lachuer, making the retention of Brest's established core particularly important.

Brendan Chardonnet, Hugo Magnetti, Romain Del Castillo and Ludovic Ajorque remain among the key figures at Francis-Le Blé. Ajorque was particularly influential last season, recording eight goals and seven assists in Ligue 1 McDonald's. Roy memorably underlined the striker's importance towards the end of the campaign, saying: "If you don't have Ludo, you go down."

Remember when...

Brest's 2023/24 campaign will take some beating. Having started the season among the teams tipped to battle relegation, Les Pirates instead produced the greatest league campaign in the club's history, finishing third in Ligue 1 McDonald's to qualify for European competition for the first time and secure a place directly in the UEFA Champions League.

What followed was scarcely less remarkable. Playing their European home matches at Guingamp's Stade de Roudourou, Brest defeated Sturm Graz in their first-ever European fixture before recording a stunning 4-0 victory away to Salzburg. Wins over Sparta Prague and PSV Eindhoven followed as Roy's side reached the knockout play-offs at the first attempt.

Their adventure was eventually ended by Paris Saint-Germain, but Brest's first taste of European football had already gone far beyond expectations and secured its place in club history.

Cult hero: Bruno Grougi

Few players embody modern Stade Brestois quite like Bruno Grougi. The midfielder spent nine seasons with Brest between 2009 and 2018, making 276 league appearances and scoring 50 goals in red and white.

Grougi was an important part of the side that earned promotion to Ligue 1 in 2010 and became particularly renowned for his quality from free-kicks and penalties. He remained with Brest following relegation in 2013 and eventually ended his professional playing career as one of the club's most popular modern players.

His association with Les Pirates did not end there, with Grougi subsequently moving into coaching at the club and forming part of Roy's staff during Brest's historic rise to the Champions League. For longevity, loyalty and his connection with Francis-Le Blé, there are few more fitting Brest cult heroes.

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