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Brest narrowly avoided defeat. On Saturday, August 8, at the Francis-Le Blé stadium, Éric Roy's men conceded a draw against Venezia FC (2-2) in their fifth summer outing. Kamory Doumbia had opened the scoring as early as the 8th minute, but the Italians turned the tables before the break through Gianluca Busio (35th) and Toma Bašić (42nd). Ludovic Ajorque, who came on as a substitute, snatched the equalizer at the very end of the match.
This result confirms a sluggish preparation. Brest has still not won a single match, except for a narrow victory against amateurs from Stade Briochin (National 1). Against Venezia, a Serie A side with a much more solid CV, the Bretons alternated flashes of brilliance and defensive lapses for ninety minutes. Eight goals conceded in five friendly matches: the work ahead is real.
Brest has still not won a single match, except for a narrow victory against amateurs from Stade Briochin (National 1).
A promising first half-hour, then a black hole
Brest's start was nonetheless impressive. As early as the 8th minute, Doumbia burst into the box to convert a cross from the left. The Malian midfielder, who scored four times last season, confirmed his ability to make an impact in the final third. For twenty-five minutes, the Finistère block held firm, pressed high, and deprived Venezia of ammunition.
Then everything fell apart. Busio, at the reception of a poorly cleared corner, placed a shot into the top corner of a helpless Brest goalkeeper. Seven minutes later, Bašić doubled the lead on a lightning counter-attack, exploiting the soft underbelly of a midfield split in two. The scenario echoed the defensive errors seen in previous outings: against Concarneau (N1), already, Brest had been caught after leading.
Ajorque as the firefighter on duty
Sent into the fray in the second half, Ludovic Ajorque set the record straight. The former Strasbourg player emerged at the far post in stoppage time to head home a cross and snatch the 2-2. A pure striker's goal that triggered palpable relief in the stands at Francis-Le Blé, even if the overall content leaves Éric Roy with work to do.
The Brest coach is not fooled. He pointed out after the match "small details" where his team is "too permissive," allowing the opponent back into the game. With two weeks to go before the resumption, the verdict is clear: the defensive mechanism that carried Brest to European qualification last season is still seriously stalling.
Final rehearsal in England
Stade Brestois will fly to Nottingham this week, where they will face Nottingham Forest for their sixth and final warm-up match. The opposition against a Premier League club, much tougher than the previous ones, will tell whether the Bretons have improved in the areas that are creaking. Eric Roy hopes to see the first signs of a team ready to battle.
The kickoff of Ligue 1 McDonald's 2026-2027 is scheduled for the weekend of August 22. Delayed by a week compared to the usual calendar due to the summer World Cup, the championship will open for Brest with a trip to Le Mans. The Ti-Zefs have fourteen days to find the spark they are missing.