Derby de la Bretagne
Other namesDerby Breton
LocationBrittany Brittany
TeamsBrest
Guingamp
Lorient
Nantes
Rennes
First meeting15 December 1963
Latest meetingRennes 3–1 Nantes
Ligue 1
(1 October 2023)
Next meetingNantes v Rennes
Ligue 1
(21 April 2024)
Statistics
Most winsNantes (86)
Largest victoryNantes 6–1 Rennes
(3 September 1969)

The Derby de la Bretagne (French pronunciation: [dɛʁbi də la bʁətaɲ], Brittany Derby), also known as the Derby Breton (French pronunciation: [dɛʁbi bʁətɔ̃]), is a football match in France. The match can potentially designate any match two clubs based in the historic province of Brittany; however, most of the time, it is employed by each club's supporters to mention the rivalry between major clubs Stade Rennais and FC Nantes, even if this particular fixture is often referred to as the West Derby.[1][2][3]

History

The term is derived from its location in the former province of Brittany, and in addition to the princial rivalry between the two major clubs, Stade Rennais and FC Nantes,[3][4][5] may also refer to matches involving FC Lorient,[6][7][8] En Avant Guingamp[9] or Stade Brestois.[10][11][12] These five clubs are each the most successful in the five departments of historic Brittany (smaller clubs such as Quimper Kerfeunteun F.C., US Saint-Malo, Stade Briochin, Vannes OC and most recently US Concarneau have had limited periods of success on a regional level). As such, matches between them are a matter of regional pride and interest rather than a traditional 'local derby' of very close geographic proximity, the five localities being an average of around 160 kilometres (99 mi) apart– the greatest distance is between Brest and Nantes, approximately 290 kilometres (180 mi).

Rennes and Nantes first met in the 1949–50 Coupe de France, Rennes winning on that occasion. Following their match in October 2023 the fixture has been played 104 times in official competitions, with Nantes ahead with 44 wins to Rennes's 35, and 25 draws.[lower-alpha 1] A historic rivalry also exists between the cities over which is the "real capital of Brittany" (Nantes was administratively separated from the rest of the territory in 1941 to anchor its own region, Pays de la Loire, while similarly sized Rennes has been the sole capital of the Brittany region since then)[15] and both clubs display their Breton heritage proudly; Rennes supporters regularly display Celtic symbols at Tribune Mordelles, where the notorious supporters' group Roazhon Celtic Kop are located, while Nantes often display the Bretagne flag in their primary colors, yellow and green.[16]

Lorient's elevated status in the derby came about from their promotion to Ligue 1 at the turn of the 21st century (1998–99 then 2001–02. Though relegated immediately on both occasions, they went up again for the 2006–07 season and this time remained in the top division consistently. This was in direct contrast to Nantes, eight-time French champions and members of the top tier since 1963, who finished 20th in that 2006–07 season and were relegated to the second division. They went back up then down again over the next two years, and did not regain what would prove to be a regular Ligue 1 place until the 2013–14 season;[17] in their absence, the main Breton derby was considered to be contested by Rennes and Lorient (although Brest were also in the league in three of those seasons).

There was heightened interest in Breton clubs following the 2–1 victory by lower-division Guingamp over Rennes in the 2009 Coupe de France final; this was the first final since 1956 where both participating clubs were based in the same region[lower-alpha 2] and both clubs displayed their Breton culture proudly.[18] The pair met again in the 2014 Coupe de France final, won by Guingamp again (by this time they had been promoted to Ligue 1, but were still the underdogs). Owing to the attention generated by these finals, matches between these two clubs specifically were referred to as Le Celtico at times[19] (this term was copyrighted by the clubs in 2016).[20] Although they had since played in the league several times, the first cup match between the clubs since the 2014 final took place in January 2024.[21]

At least one club from historic Brittany has taken part in the French top flight in every season since 1958–59. Since 1983–84, there have been 18 seasons featuring three Breton teams; an additional eight top division seasons have involved four – 2023–24 Ligue 1 is the 9th (it is Rennes' 67th overall at that level, Nantes' 55th, Brest's 18th and Lorient's 17th, while Guingamp have 13, their most recent being in 2018–19). Owing to the somewhat 'yo-yo' status of all the clubs apart from Rennes since the 2000s, there has yet to be a Ligue 1 campaign featuring all five.

  1. ↑ The October 2023 match was reported in the media as the 100th,[13] but 104 matches are recorded elsewhere,[14] with the discrapncy seemingly arising from 4 Coupe de France matches, all won by Nantes – however, four other matches in this competition are inlcuded in all totals.
  2. ↑ Disregarding two finals between Olympique Marseille and AS Monaco FC – the tiny independent Principality of Monaco is surrounded by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.

Statistics

As of 22 October 2023
Club Pld W D L GF GA +/–
League (1st & 2nd Division)
Nantes 93 36 25 32 120 117 +3
Rennes 93 32 25 36 117 120 –3
Coupe de France
Nantes 4 2 0 2 6 7 –1
Rennes 4 2 0 2 7 6 +1
Coupe de la Ligue
Nantes 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1
Rennes 2 1 0 1 4 5 –1
Trophée des Champions
Nantes 1 1 0 0 4 2 +2
Rennes 1 0 1 0 2 4 –2
Totals
Nantes 100 40 25 35 135 130 +5
Rennes 100 35 25 40 130 135 –5
Club Pld W D L GF GA +/–
League
Lorient 19 4 6 9 22 26 –4
Nantes 19 9 6 4 26 22 +4
Coupe de France
Lorient 2 1 0 1 1 2 –1
Nantes 2 1 0 1 2 1 +1
Coupe de la Ligue
Lorient 1 0 0 1 0 2 –2
Nantes 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2
Totals
Lorient 22 5 6 11 23 30 –7
Nantes 22 10 6 5 30 23 +7
Club Pld W D L GF GA +/–
League
Rennes 31 14 10 7 45 29 +16
Lorient 31 7 10 14 29 45 –16
Coupe de France
Rennes 4 2 1 1 7 4 +3
Lorient 4 1 1 2 4 7 –3
Coupe de la Ligue
Rennes 2 1 0 1 3 3 0
Lorient 2 1 0 1 3 3 0
Totals
Rennes 37 17 11 9 55 36 +19
Lorient 37 9 11 17 36 55 –19

References

  1. ↑ "Rennes-Nantes: le derby breton est de retour" (in French). Les dessous du sport. 12 December 2008. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  2. ↑ "Nantes - Stade Rennes". Football Derbies. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Derby breton ou derby de l'Ouest ?" [Breton derby or Western derby?]. Ouest-France (in French). 31 October 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  4. ↑ François Rauzy (21 August 2021). "Stade Rennais - FC Nantes. Le derby vu de Rennes : l'histoire d'une rivalité" [Stade Rennais - FC Nantes. The derby seen from Rennes: the story of a rivalry]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Yann Dey-Helle (26 February 2023). "Stade Rennais – FC Nantes, une rivalité bretonne" [Stade Rennais – FC Nantes, a Breton rivalry]. Dialetik Football (in French). Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Eric Nedjar (14 October 2016). "Lorient-Nantes : le derby breton qu'il ne faut pas perdre" [Lorient-Nantes: the Breton derby that must not be lost]. France 3 (in French). Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Touré fires Lorient to Breton derby win over Rennes, Ligue 1, 22 October 2023
  8. ↑ "Les supporters de Lorient interdits de déplacement à Brest pour le derby" [Lorient supporters banned from traveling to Brest for the derby]. Le Télégramme (in French). 16 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Emmanuel Nen / André Mougel (29 July 2023). "Guingamp-Brest : un derby breton sous tension au Roudourou" [Guingamp-Brest: a Breton derby under tension at Roudourou]. Le Télégramme (in French). Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  10. ↑ Astrid Maigné-Carn (10 October 2022). "Derby Brest-Lorient : une rencontre sous haute tension" [Derby Brest-Lorient: a high-tension meeting]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  11. ↑ Brest beat Nantes in crucial Derby Breton, Ligue 1, 3 May 2023
  12. ↑ Brest and Rennes face-off in season's first Breton derby, Ligue 1, 2 September 2023
  13. ↑ "Rennes-Nantes: les Rouge et Noir retrouvent la victoire dans un derby embrasé" [Rennes-Nantes: the red-and-blacks regain victory in a fiery derby]. RMC / BFM (in French). 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  14. ↑ FC Nantes, Rouge Memoire. Retrieved 1 January 2024
  15. ↑ Emilie Mousnier (4 November 2022). "Gros plan sur l'histoire entre la Bretagne et Nantes | Entre la Bretagne et Nantes c'est " je t'aime, moi non plus "" [Close-up on the history between Brittany and Nantes | Between Brittany and Nantes it’s “I love you, me neither”]. Port d'Attache (in French). Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  16. ↑ "Football-Club Nantes-Atlantique (France)" (in French). Five Star Flags. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  17. ↑ Régis Delanoë (29 September 2013). "Tiens, revoilà le derby Rennes – Nantes" [Hey, here's the Rennes – Nantes derby again]. So Foot (in French). Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  18. ↑ "Ambiance bretonne au Stade de France" (in French). French Football Federation. 1 May 2009. Archived from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  19. ↑ Le Celtico remporté avec les stripes [Le Celtico won with guts], Stade Rennais FC, 30 September 2016 (in French)
  20. ↑ "Football. Le derby Rennes-Guingamp s'appellera désormais Celtico" [Soccer. The Rennes-Guingamp derby will now be called Celtico]. Ouest-France (in French). 17 September 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  21. ↑ "Le Roudourou affiche complet pour le celtico, le derby entre Guingamp et Rennes en Coupe de France" [Roudourou is sold out for the Celtico, the derby between Guingamp and Rennes in the Coupe de France]. Ouest-France (in French). 29 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
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