These are the horrors of 21st century footballe century: a historic French club could pay dearly for the real estate crisis… in China. On Wednesday June 28, FC Sochaux, ninth in the last Ligue 2 season, was administratively relegated to National by the National Management Control Department (DNCG) of the Professional Football League (LFP). The Doubs club has announced its intention to appeal.
“FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, while recognizing the legitimacy of this decision, will appeal against it in order to produce proof of coverage by the Nenking group. [propriétaire du club] of its projected deficit for the coming season”reacted the club in a press release.
The Chinese conglomerate, specialized in real estate, meets “cash flow difficulties” due to the crisis in the real estate market in China, but “must imminently release the funds provided”assured the club.
During the past season, Sochaux has long struggled for the rise in Ligue 1. The Doubs club was still 3e of Ligue 2 on the evening of the 30e day, but ended his season on eight defeats in a row to collapse to 9e rank.
Twice French champion (1935, 1938), Sochaux was still playing in Ligue 1 ten years ago, before relegation at the end of the 2013-2014 season. The club’s last trophies are the Coupe de la Ligue, won in 2004, and the Coupe de France, in 2007.
Bordeaux saved by Gerard Lopez’s 40 million
On Wednesday, the DNCG also auditioned the leaders of Bordeaux. The body has agreed to keep the Girondins in L2 thanks to a contribution of 40 million euros, loaned by the president and owner of the club, Gerard Lopez.
“The budget is closed”, rejoiced the Bordeaux club. Expected by the financial “gendarme” of French football, the Girondins presented a debt of less than 5 million euros – to be paid by 2025 to their former shareholder Fortress – and new guarantees on the financing of the 2023-2024 budget, whose forecast indicated an operating deficit of 38 million euros excluding transfers.
To deal with it, the owner and president Gerard Lopez therefore proceeded, on Tuesday, to a contribution of 40 million euros intended to cover the needs of the club and thus meet the main expectations of the body.
Bordeaux, which missed the return to L1 on the last day of L2 after the premature end of its match against Rodez following the attack by one of its supporters on Ruthenian striker Lucas Buades, will therefore return to L2 with a budget around 40 million euros.