EXCLUSIVE: Lilian Brassier on loving life in the Bundesliga & European ambitions

Flashscore France: Hello Lilian, thank you for agreeing to this interview. It's a pleasure to talk football with you. How are you feeling? A short international break must do you good.

Lilian Brassier: "Thank you. Yes, that's true... although we've still had quite a lot of training. The coach gave us four consecutive days off, but otherwise we train as usual, at a high intensity. There isn't really a major difference, apart from the fact that we're missing some players, particularly key men, because several have gone away with their national teams."

You joined your new club a month ago. In your view, what is the most noticeable difference you've seen in training, including tactically? Is the coach's approach to football different from what you experienced in France?

"There are both similarities and differences. Things are much more direct here. In the Bundesliga, once you've moved the ball forward, the aim is to keep it up there. There is a lot of forward play: with one or two passes, you're in the final third, and the players know how to keep the ball there. In France, the tendency is more to retain possession collectively, as a team. 

"Here, attacks are quick, and even when players don't receive perfect balls, they make the most of them. You very rarely see a forward or midfielder throw his arms up: he fights, wins his duel and wins the ball back. That's where I see a real difference."

Overall, how is your integration going? This is the first time you've left your country. Do you like the culture and Germany?

"Honestly, it's going really well so far. Of course, I would have liked us to have more wins, but my teammates have welcomed me very well, as has the coach. And this is a league that suits my qualities. I really like it: it's intense, but it suits me."

Tell us a little more: what makes German football a good fit for you?

"I'm a fairly athletic defender, capable of making repeated runs, quite quick and with good stamina. So I can track forwards' movements throughout the match. And there are a lot of duels. Here, they're really physical, one-on-one battles: first, you use your body against the forward to win the duel. There is anticipation, but it's anticipation directly focused on the opponent."

Given that the game is more direct in the Bundesliga and more reactive than in France, where teams tend to build up the play more, right? That would mean more duels and contact with forwards.

"I would mainly say that in France, and I think that's a positive, you come up against a greater variety of forward profiles. From what I've seen here, I'm often up against a big target man, while the other forward is quicker and more mobile. But as I said, that suits my profile. More often than not, the bigger forward is on my side. I battle with him, and winning that duel gives me confidence for the rest of the match."

When Frankfurt made you an offer, with other potential options on the table, what convinced you from a footballing perspective?

"First of all, I wanted to move abroad. We had already discussed it a lot during my final year at Brest. It was an option I'd already had about two years earlier, but at the time I decided to stay in Marseille

"When the opportunity came up again, I told myself I had to take it. I'd spent many years in France, where I started, and I thought it would be a shame to spend my entire career there. I needed to discover a different kind of football.

"I was fortunate that Frankfurt came back for me, since they had already been interested in me two years earlier. I thought it was destiny, that everything was coming together. And it's a great club, with many young players who have huge potential but perhaps haven't spent many years as professionals, alongside a few experienced players. That's what makes the club special."

Are you hoping to continue here the fine form you showed last season with Rennes at your new club Frankfurt?

"Yes, absolutely. Especially in terms of intensity: I always try to maintain that intensity in duels and cover the ground when forwards make runs in behind. When I arrived here, I found that, only at an even higher level. After a few matches, I thought, “I love this league.” It's physical, and there are a lot of attacking moves, both from your team and the opposition."

Some people underrate the Bundesliga, saying, “It's all about attack; there is no defending.” Do you think that analysis is misguided?

"I wouldn't say there is no defending. Germany has some very good defenders, and it's a highly respected league. But there are indeed a lot of attacks, and that comes from the style of play. Teams aren't going to make eight or 10 sideways passes, involving five touches from the midfielder and four from the right-back, just to launch an attack. If two passes are enough to find a runner in behind, cross and score, they'll do it without hesitation. So yes, I think that analysis is a little misguided."

You made an excellent start; you've been one of the supporters' biggest sources of satisfaction and you were named in the Bundesliga Team of the Week last time out. How are you handling all this positivity?

"It's good for morale and confidence. It shows that all the hard work beforehand is always worthwhile. But the most important thing is the team and the wins: my role is to help the team as much as possible. Of course, it's nice to be highlighted, to show your qualities in another league and to see people paying attention to your performances."

Let's go back to the beginning. You came through at Rennes and returned there after Marseille. Why did you make that choice?

"First of all, it was a challenge: I had never played professionally for Rennes. I had come through the entire academy and signed a professional contract, but when it was time to be patient and wait for my chance, I wanted to play straight away because I was coming off a full season at Valenciennes. When I was younger, I saw things that way: play to gain experience quickly, especially in my position.

"I had never experienced professional football at Rennes or even played at Roazhon Park. I thought the time was right. The club had a very young team then, with lots of young players and foreigners who didn't necessarily know Ligue 1. I needed playing time because things were a little complicated at Marseille at that point. What could be better than returning to the club that developed me to embark on the professional career I hadn't been able to start there?"

When you arrived at Rennes, did you immediately feel it was the right choice?

"Yes, from the welcome I received. I felt I was going to have a role to play during the six months remaining in the season and that there were expectations of me. The coach had spoken to me about it; that was Habib Beye at the time. It all happened naturally, and I loved my experience there."

What changed compared with your time at Marseille? The coach? The feeling of being at home?

"Yes, of course that played a part: seeing those familiar colours again. But the coach was also important. I had spoken to him at length; we got on really well, and his style of play matched what I was looking for. I didn't think about it too much: we talked a little, and I was off!"

And now you're at Frankfurt, so the choice has worked out well. Let's go back to Marseille, an important and difficult period in your career. The club's management, led by Medhi Benatia, had put its faith in you, and you spoke with Roberto De Zerbi before joining. With hindsight, what do you think went wrong?

"First of all, I want to thank them. Even though it was difficult for me towards the end, it was an experience I needed to have. Being around that kind of coach, those kinds of players and colleagues every day was enriching.

"Unfortunately, it didn't work out because my feeling was that it didn't match what I had imagined in terms of the football. I had to make a real effort to adapt, and I tried as best I could, but I felt they wanted to change my style of play completely. I'm a dynamic player who likes to press forwards, defend in behind, play out through the gaps or go long. Some of the freedom I had at Brest and Rennes, and that I've found again at Frankfurt, was taken away from me.

"At Marseille, you're judged immediately, which is normal: it's a big club with major ambitions. In the short time I spent there, it didn't work out. When the project was presented to me, I could completely see myself in it because it's a vibrant club where you're asked to play with heart. That's all I wanted. But that's life: you go through stages that help you grow. I learned a lot during that difficult period, and if something similar happens again one day, I'll be better equipped to deal with it."

Can you give a concrete example of something, either sporting or personal, that you learned from your time at Marseille?

"That's a psychologist's question; it's a difficult one! To be honest, there isn't necessarily one specific lesson. The only takeaway is to focus on what you do well, to know that you're still a good player and accept that. Sometimes it doesn't click, the stars don't align, and that doesn't mean you should question yourself. A lot of players change clubs, things don't work out and they bounce back elsewhere. So I mainly told myself: that's how it is, that's life. Carry on with your career, work twice as hard and rely on your strengths."

Your career is about more than that; there were some wonderful moments before it. Let's talk about Brest, where your career really took off, and Éric Roy, who passed away in recent weeks. What can you say about the man and the coach?

"May he rest in peace. Éric Roy was truly a wonderful person. It's difficult to find the words to describe everything I felt and experienced with him, but he gave me an enormous amount of confidence. It was through small, simple gestures in everyday life. Whenever he saw me, he called me “la manchina”

"As a centre-back, when you want to be a leader, that feels good. He said I was a rock and that I was tormenting forwards that season. We didn't talk a great deal, but he always found the right words at the right time, and that motivated me even more.

"As a person, he was incredible, and his football IQ was too. He had a wisdom that made him willing to listen to everyone; everyone who speaks about him has the same impression. No matter how you joined the team, he knew how to welcome you, understand your style of play and put you in the best conditions. A lot of players showed incredible qualities under his management."

Pierre Lees-Melou, for example, reached a level that season close to Toni Kroos's (laughs). That wasn't a coincidence.

"(Laughs) Honestly, no. Even as a spectator, I followed Brest with enormous enjoyment; it was great fun. I remember one match that really stuck with me, a 3-1 win over Fabio Grosso's Lyon. Every time a big team came to Brest, you beat them. You could see your confidence, and the coach played a part in that too.

"He played a huge role in our group. I also want to highlight the work of the mental coach, who did an excellent job with the squad. But yes, the coach was incredible. I'm not sure I'll ever experience another collective season like that. It was an incredible experience."

Let's return to Frankfurt. What are your personal and collective objectives?

"I have a winner's mentality. Collectively, I aim to finish as high as possible. We have to pick up points game by game. I won't lie: I want European football at the end of the season. I know it won't be easy because this is a very competitive league with some excellent teams, but you have to believe in yourself and your team, and work towards it every day."

Finishing in the top four leads to the Champions League. Bayern are out of reach, but there are Dortmund and Leipzig... And you can count yourselves among the contenders too: Frankfurt have been near the top for years and even played in the Champions League not so long ago.

"Yes, that was two years ago. Frankfurt are entering a new era, with quite a few departures and young players coming in. But yes, the club regularly competes in Europe and the Champions League."

Internally, what objective have you set yourself? European football, or the top four?

"I wasn't there for those discussions; I was still at Rennes, and I haven't discussed it with the club. But when I look at the team, I know that was also why I came to Frankfurt. I want to play in Europe during my career. That's my personal ambition."

Anything else for your career?

"Good health and good performances. Health is hugely important for a footballer: without it, you can't do your job."