Brest v Lyon: Kamory Doumbia pays tribute to Éric Roy before tonight’s game at Le Blé

He spoke on the morning of the match. A few hours before hosting Lyon (4.15pm UK time, Stade Francis-Le Blé), Kamory Doumbia sat down with L’Équipe to talk about his childhood in Bamako, his fourth season in Brittany and, above all, Éric Roy, the club’s iconic coach, who died on 17 June. “It is hard to talk about him,” the Mali international midfielder said. “He was a good man. He always looked after me. When I signed, he told me: ‘Kamo, you know I adore you.’ That touched me deeply, and I will keep making him proud.”

Doumbia joined Brest in 2023, on loan from Reims before a permanent move, and owes his dressing-room nickname to Roy. “It comes from the coach, ‘Papa Éric Roy’, he explained. He was friends with Frédéric Martin, the general director of the Académie Jean-Marc Guillou, where I trained. That is why the coach nicknamed me ‘Président du Mali’.”

Lyon favourites, with San Sebastián in their legs

Tonight is Ligue 1 matchday 10. Eleventh on 12 points, Brest come fresh from a 2-0 win in the Breton derby at Lorient and count six days of rest. Lyon, fourth on 17 points, brought back a point from San Sebastián on Thursday (1-1 at Real Sociedad, in the Europa League) and only count three, Spanish trip included. Lyon’s last visit to Le Blé ended 0-0, in November 2025.

This morning the market prices Lyon at 2.54 and Brest at 2.84, with the home odds down from an opening 3.04. The emotion of a tribute night cannot be priced; freshness can, and it is on Brest’s side. I stand by my pick in the match preview: Brest or draw at 1.60. 18+. Only bet what you can afford to lose.