Crisis club Bordeaux’s relegation to the third tier of French football is CONFIRMED

Crisis-hit Bordeaux’s relegation to the THIRD tier of French football was confirmed on Tuesday night, after their last-ditch appeal was dismissed by the authorities.   

The six-time French champions finished bottom of Ligue 1 when the season ended on May 21, and they were relegated for a second time barely three weeks later over financial irregularities.

Despite that, the club hoped an appeal would allow them to begin next season in Ligue 2, but it has now been confirmed that they will instead be plunged down to Championnat National – putting them at real risk of going bankrupt.

Angry supporters hold a banner that reads ‘you are the shame of Bordeaux’ back in May 2022

The six-time French champions finished bottom of Ligue 1 last term, racking up just 31 points

Bordeaux have been plagued by financial difficulties and were unable to reassure the DNCG that they had resolved them.

Club owner Gerard Lopez called the decision ‘unacceptable and incomprehensible’ and vowed to continue to fight the ruling. They can still appeal to the French Olympic Committee.

‘This decision clearly threatens the disappearance of a great French club,’ said Bordeaux’s managing director Thomas Jacquemier.

Lopez, a Luxembourg-born businessman who previously owned Lille, recently said the club would be in danger of bankruptcy if their appeal to the DNCG was rejected. That could lead to liquidation and the club starting over in the fifth division.

The club’s financial woes have left them in the French third division and facing bankruptcy

New owner Gerard Lopez was left desperately seeking help from investors to pump money into the club, but their appeal still fell on deaf ears this week

Bordeaux were also relegated on administrative grounds in 1991 because of debts of 300 million francs (£39m) but bounced back in 1992.

Bordeaux racked up just 31 points in the top flight last season, scoring 52 and conceding a league-high total of 91 goals. It was the most goals any team had conceded in the top five European leagues. 

The DNCG tried to relegate Bordeaux to Ligue 1 last season but the club kept their place after a fierce battle.

They will spend a first season outside the top flight since 1991-92, and their plight represents an incredible fall from grace for a club of this size. They have won 22 trophies, regularly competed in the Europa League and reached the Champions League quarter-finals as recently as 2009-10 – the year after they last won Ligue 1.

Bordeaux were sold to French businessman Lopez last year after being placed into administration.

Lopez – the former president of the Lotus Formula One team – has fought hard to keep the team afloat by cutting down their huge wage budget.

Samuel Kalu was sent to Watford in January while Hatem Ben Arfa and Youssouf Sabaly were both released on a free transfers. Former Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny – one of the club’s highest earners – has also departed for free.

Bordeaux finished with 31 points last season and let in 91 goals – the most in all top five leagues