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Brive and Pool 1 leaders Stade Français Paris are the only 100 per cent clubs going into the sixth and final round but Sale, who matched Brive try for try in their 26-18 Round 1 defeat, represent a real threat at home.
"Sale Sharks and Brive have clashed a number of times in the past and it's never an easy encounter between the two," said Brive hooker and captain Virgile Lacombe.
"The 15-13 win over there last year proved crucial in Brive getting a home quarter-final and it would be great to repeat that feat and get another good result at Edgeley Park so that we can host any quarter-final at home again. It would be good for the club to have some continuity in our season and keep on winning.
"However, I don't think we have a psychological advantage over Sale Sharks because we won against them in the first leg, it was early in the season and we've all moved on since then.
"Now we will have another opportunity to measure up against a strong English side and another win would add to the winning streak that seems to carry us through Europe.
"And with the qualification process stricter in the Amlin Challenge Cup than in the Heineken Cup, with only the five Pool winners going through, there really is no room for error.
"At the start of the tournament we didn't think that qualification would come down to just our two teams, we thought we would have more difficulties in beating Agen, if anything.
"So we are very happy with that convincing win against Agen because it had been a while since we tasted victory and it was a good feeling to win again.
"And with the try bonus point win perhaps we can now hope to qualify at Sale with more certainty than we had previously.
"We managed to impose our game plan, keep possession and offer an open free-flowing game. It was beneficial for all of us in the team and it was both reassuring and satisfying to have produced such a good result.
"Brive seem to do better in Europe than in the Top 14 but let's hope that the Amlin Challenge Cup can also have a positive influence on the rest of our domestic season.
"It was my first European game for Brive as a captain and I am very happy to have been entrusted with that task and given more responsibilities than when I played at Toulouse.
"It was what I was looking for in joining Brive, a club that hasn't been at the forefront of rugby for a few seasons now. I wanted to fulfil my potential more as a player, knowing that being hooker already brings certain responsibilities.
"We will prepare thoroughly for Thursday's game against Sale Sharks as in my previous experience at Stade Toulousain I remember only to well the qualifying game to get a home Heineken Cup quarter-final in 2010 when we won 19-13 at Sale. It is hard to get a win there, as you feel you are in a hostile place and you've got to be fully prepared."
