Chardonnet out of opening day with calf injury

Brendan Chardonnet suffered a calf muscle injury during Stade Brestois training on Saturday and is already racking up absences. The centre-back did not travel to Nottingham for the final pre-season friendly (0-2 loss to Forest) and, according to L'Équipe, will be sidelined for at least the league opener.

The injury struck suddenly during the morning session. Chardonnet had to leave training after feeling a sharp pain, catching the attention of the coaching staff. His manager, Julien Lachuer, was blunt about the outlook: "The calf is a difficult area. We know Brendan — if he stops, there's real concern. We're waiting for the tests to know more, but there's a strong chance he won't start the season in Le Mans".

Defence stretched for the start

The team's first match comes against Le Mans next Saturday (20:45, Ligue 1+). It's a significant blow for Brest's defensive setup, as they lack cover in that department. The club lost two centre-backs on loan during the summer — Soumaïla Coulibaly (to Strasbourg) and Junior Diaz (to Troyes) — and only brought in Gautier Lloris from Le Havre as a free agent.