One of many shock packages in Europe this season, Brest will face one in every of their hardest challenges but, as they tackle Barcelona on Tuesday.
With each groups gathering three wins in 4 matches to date, securing all of the spoils on this affair may go a good distance in solidifying their place within the prime eight.
Heading into this contest, Brest coach Eric Roy talked about how Barcelona are one of many hardest opponents within the Champions League and the way his workforce plans to face the Catalans.
Eric Roy on dealing with Barcelona
“Tomorrow we are going to attempt to present Europe what we will do. It’s unbelievable to have the ability to play in opposition to this rival. If we went again one or two years, with 3,000 followers. We couldn’t think about it. It’s a dream,” he mentioned (h/t Diario SPORT).
Roy described Barcelona as an ‘ogre’ and admitted that he was too scared to observe their performances in opposition to Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid.
“We are able to’t watch Barça’s video games in opposition to Bayern or Actual Madrid as a result of they scare us, however by that rule of three we might have stayed at residence,” he mentioned.
Speaking in regards to the sport itself, Roy defined how he has prepped his workforce heading into this significant contest.
“Perhaps Barça received’t allow us to impose our sport, however we’ll strive. It will likely be a superb match for certain. We all the time need to suggest issues. I inform my gamers that now we have to be at our stage. If Barça is stronger, we’ll congratulate them,” he mentioned.
“This lasts 95 or 100 minutes and we’ll should be courageous and have the braveness to play in opposition to this ogre referred to as Barça,” he added.
Eric Roy’s Brest are prepared for the Barcelona problem. (Photograph by Jasmin Walter/Getty Photographs)
“If we got here right here with a whole lot of strain, we might be a bit silly. Coming right here is an unbelievable problem. We’ve to pinch ourselves to know that we’re right here. A number of months in the past we couldn’t have imagined it. We can have nothing to lose,” he additional added.
Following Barcelona’s draw with Celta Vigo, Roy described the Catalans as a ‘wounded animal’.
“Barça will need to react to what has occurred to them and perhaps we aren’t at our greatest. They’re a wounded animal. It’s an added impediment,” he mentioned.
Eric Roy on Yamal and Raphinha
It seems Eric Roy’s Brest aspect won’t look to park the bus in opposition to Barcelona and can as a substitute look to beat the Blaugrana’s excessive line of defense.
Nevertheless, he might have one daunting opponent in Raphinha, who has been in scorching type this season. Robert Lewandowski, too, shall be a risk, with the Pole chasing an enormous milestone on Tuesday.
Roy, although, admitted that his workforce isn’t specializing in any specific people. “Raphinha’s evolution… he’s now captain of Barça and is likely one of the most harmful. We studied Raphinha, Olmo and Pedri, however we can’t concentrate on one however on the entire,” he mentioned.
Lastly, Roy admitted he would have appreciated Lamine Yamal to be current within the sport. The Spaniard has been dominated out because of discomfort and will not return till this weekend’s conflict in opposition to Las Palmas.
“We see that because the damage of the little genius, there have been no victories. I want he would play. We need to play in opposition to the most effective.
“He did us a whole lot of injury on the Euros in opposition to France. In Lamine’s place, they are going to play somebody who will do as nicely or higher than Lamine. Barça is as soon as once more an unbelievable workforce. It received’t be like Guardiola’s with Messi however they’re heading in the right direction,” he concluded.