Stéphane Place, edited by Margaux Balloffet
modified to
6:35 p.m., June 15, 2022
Relegated by the DNCG to National 1, the Girondins de Bordeaux find themselves in a perilous financial situation which threatens their existence if no solution, validated by the authorities, is found. The Bordeaux club will have to wait until mid-July to find out if they are officially downgraded to the third division.
It is a monument of French football which is in the process of sinking. The Girondins de Bordeaux, already sportingly relegated to Ligue 2, learned on Tuesday evening that they could finally evolve into National 1 next season. Or in the third division. A decision taken by the DNCG, the National Directorate of Management Control, because of the financial situation of the club, which has also appealed. A decision that aims to try to save the club, both from a sporting and financial point of view. Because with relegation to National 1, it is the filing for bankruptcy that is looming for the Girondins. But in any case, the announcement of the DNCG is a shock for all the fans of the club.
Fans’ hope
“I’m tired of watching a team that doesn’t want to win. It’s sure that it’s a monument, we were addicted to them. But we gave up a long time ago”, confirms at the microphone of Europe 1 Gabriel Laurent, supporter forever. “It hurts the guts because we still had a good team. We were happy. I went to the stadium on foot to see them. But there, we have more desire, we are disgusted.”
Faced with what the local newspaper calls “nothingness”, other supporters on the contrary want to believe in a financial solution to limit the damage. Concretely, this means avoiding the National 1. “They will present a file on this subject. We will be in D2, that’s all,” hopes Patrice, a fan. “They will manage to find 25 million euros, they will find a solution!” [Selon les informations du service des sports d’Europe 1, une quarantaine de millions d’euros reste à trouver rapidement pour éviter au sextuple champion de France la relégation en National et donc être repêché en Ligue 2, ndlr]
Verdict in early July
A significant sum to find, especially with transfers. “Fortunately we have some players who are trained at the club like Koundé or Tchouaméni, we will take a small note on their transfer. But if we go to National, it will no longer be the big FCGB”, worries Benjamin, supporter for 26 years. “I’m also afraid that there are a lot of jobs that will jump…” Will the future of the Girondins be written in Ligue 2? Verdict in early July.