New Delhi: It was a sad day for football as six-time French Champion Girondins de Bordeaux filed for bankruptcy and have now dropped their pro-team status. The news comes days after the club downgraded to the third tier of French football and Liverpool’s owners withdrew from taking over. Bordeaux’s former players included Zinedine Zidane, Jules Kounde and Bixente Lizarazu.
According to Bordeaux’s official statement, negotiations between the USA firm led by John W Henry failed after “the considerable cost of the stadium in the coming years but also the general economic context of French football.” Reportedly, the former Ligue 1 club informed the French Football Federation about their decision to forfeit its professional status, which it achieved in 1937. The result is that all players’ contracts have been terminated, and the training centre will shut down.
The club’s entire future depended on Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, who pulled out of the takeover. Apart from winning Ligue 1 six times, the club have also won three Coupe de la Ligue titles, four Coupe de France titles and three Trophée des Champions titles as well. Bordeaux last won Ligue 1 in 2008-09 and have spent the last two seasons in Ligue 2 after finishing at the bottom of the top flight in 2021-22. Last term, the club finished 12th under former Liverpool and Spain winger Albert Riera.
However, their prolonged financial struggles only worsened when Direction Nationale du Controle Gestion recommended their demotion to Championnat National. In 2022, they appealed against the sanction; they have accepted the punishment ahead of the 2024-25 season. DNCG further sanctioned the club after Bordeaux needed €40 million in order to balance their book.
Former English and Liverpool striker Stan Collymore expressed his shock and dismay over Twitter, mentioning how everyone knew the mismanagement was going to draw curtains over the club eventually. Fans and experts have expressed their concern over the situation of French football and the mismanagement from people with limited knowledge about the game and its running.
I contacted Bordeaux owner, Gérard Lopez about 2 years ago when it was evident that the club was struggling. Soft spot for them as I’d played ( swapped Jean Pierre Papin’s shirts both UEFA Cup legs) against them and have spent a good amount of time in what is a great city. Going… pic.twitter.com/q4CRa5dZCL
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) July 25, 2024
Mental whats happened to Bordeaux, players like Kounde, Tchouameni, Adli and Malcom played for them not long ago at all and now this has happened to them. Heartbreaking, really shows it can happen to basically everyone pic.twitter.com/KTAxiBW8Xd
— Charlie Barnicle (@CharlieBarnicle) July 25, 2024
this is ROUGH, french football in all sorts of a mess but grew up with bordeaux being one of the top sides in the country, crazy fall from grace https://t.co/EdoiqjWAqG
— niran (@TheOfficialFNG) July 25, 2024
Bordeaux file for bankruptcy and close down their famous training centre and terminate contracts of their players. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
