Bordeaux (AFP)
What will happen to the Girondins?
The decision of the King Street shareholder to let go of Bordeaux, with immediate consequences that are difficult to perceive, caused a shock wave in the current 16th in Ligue 1 ... But also a beginning of mobilization, with already two candidate buyers.
- What is the club at risk?
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Following the decision of the American investment fund to no longer finance the club, the Girondins were placed at their request in the hands of an ad hoc representative in charge of finding a lasting solution.
The information was confirmed to AFP on Friday by the Bordeaux commercial court which explains that "it is a preventive procedure which in many cases leads to a satisfactory result".
In absolute terms, several scenarios are possible, ranging from automatic demotion if the club had to file for bankruptcy by the end of the season, or administrative if it is at the end of the season, via the hypothesis of arrival of a buyer who would maintain the activity with the approval of the commercial court.
This last option, the most favorable, seems to hold the cord, all the more so after a provision voted by the executive committee of the French Federation (FFF) at the end of 2020 which provides that "any club which would be the subject of a procedure of safeguard or receivership opened before the resumption of the 2021-2022 Championships (next summer, Editor's note) will not automatically be demoted to the lower division if it benefits from a safeguard plan, a recovery plan or 'a disposal plan approved by the competent court before the same deadline ".
- Which possible buyers?
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In the Bordeaux microcosm, they are now seen as potential saviors.
Bruno Fiévet and Pascal Rigo, originally from or with ties to Gironde, are two entrepreneurs who made their fortunes abroad, the first in investment banking in Switzerland, the second in bakery in the United States.
Supporters of the Girondins, they came out of the woods in turn last year to buy the club from King Street.
With two endings of not receiving each time.
The city of Bordeaux, which wants to be "involved in the choice of the future buyer of the Girondins", confirmed, through the voice of its mayor (environmentalist) Pierre Hurmic, to be "in contact for several months with these two buyers", all by wishing "that they correspond to a certain number of economic, sporting, ethical qualities"
"There may be others. The commercial court is perfectly capable of ensuring that the club is transferred to a serious buyer," added the elected official, a lawyer, who completely excludes "that the 'we can accept that a club like this is sold to the highest bidder ", like American hedge funds or pension funds.
Friday, the sports daily L'Équipe revealed that the name of Gérard Lopez, former owner of Lille, was also circulating.
- What sporting future in L1?
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In this context, the Bordeaux players are preparing a series of crucial matches for the maintenance of the club: they left Thursday evening for an internship in Brittany, where they will face Lorient on Sunday.
Bordeaux, which tumbled to 16th place after 10 defeats in the last 12 days, is only five points ahead of the dam Nîmes with five days remaining.
Friday morning, the Girondins presented themselves at 10:00 am at the Ploemeur stadium (Morbihan), in the presence of a handful of supporters and journalists.
If some of them stopped to sign autographs, the instruction was clearly radio silence with the press.
On their arrival under the sun, the Bordeaux group was greeted by Yoann Gourcuff, their former playmaker (2008-2010), who came as a neighbor, which moved coach Jean-Louis Gasset, Laurent Blanc's assistant at the period of Bordeaux's last title in 2009.
After offering his former player and young retiree to take part in training, the two men talked for a while during the players' warm-up jogging.
The training, rather light, lasted a little over an hour, in a studious atmosphere but not necessarily gloomy.
On Twitter, the club's "community manager" ventured to quote the Dalai Lama: "Joy is a power, cultivate it".
But for now, Bordeaux supporters are worried.
And the Ultramarines, the main group of ultras at war with President Frédéric Longuépée still in place, called for a rally on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) in front of the town hall "because the vital prognosis of our beloved club is now engaged".
fcc-bpe-pbl-rap / pjl / lrb
© 2021 AFP