Elimination, 3 expulsions, Koundé's first as a pro, Trésor's charge on the referee… Who remembers the Granville-Bordeaux of 2018?

At the time, the Girondins de Bordeaux were in Ligue 1, and the US Granville in the amateur world, in National 2. Who would have thought that less than six years later, the two teams would find themselves in the same division, in the same group…

The match that goes wrong

It was January 7, 2018, during the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France. The famous “trap” meeting at the start of the year, which turned into a historic meeting. The Scapular Club was joined in the final seconds of regulation time, before losing at the end of the match, finishing even at eight… A man, who we had interviewed before the match, Ladislas Douniama, had been the author with a decisive pass and the winning penalty, which he himself had caused. However, he missed a first penalty, against Benoit Costil, at the start of the match (10th).

That day, for those who remember it, the wind had been an asset for Granville: it had above all made this match unpredictable… But like the last match of the current Girondins against Locminé, it was the ” smaller” who above all showed himself to be more enterprising, relaxed, and good at the game.

Repeated expulsions

The first to be excluded is Youssouf Sabalyin the 86th minute, after receiving a second yellow card. The equalizer came a few minutes later by Sullivan Martinet (94th, 1-1), who then went to Stade Bordelais, and who is playing this season at Lège-Cap Ferret for the anecdote. It was then the young Thomas
Carrique who was sent off for a foul as the last defender, at the same time offering a penalty to Granville (103rd). A few minutes later, it's
Jaroslav Plasil who was excluded, following a gesture of humor and especially inappropriate words towards the referee. Bordeaux will not come back…

Jaroslav Plasil receives five match suspension

It is still today the worst memory of
Jaroslav Plasil in career. “There was everything. I shouldn't have done what I did, I regret it. Everyone can make mistakes, I tried to take a step back. I take five matches. I must not do this. Looking back, I blame myself, I want to be an example for young people.”

Thomas Carriquesanctioned with a penalty and a red card, received two matches. Youssouf Sabaly, who said nothing after his expulsion, received a meeting.

Marius Trésor pulls no punches on arbitration

“We weren't good at all. We had the chance to open the score, hold on until the 94th minute, and take the goal we conceded… We feel that this team is not confident. We weren't good at all. Bordeaux, in this match, offered nothing. And what's more, you come across a completely shattered referee. You find yourself finishing the match at eight… We are not calling into question Granville's victory. I said practically nothing about the refereeing during the meeting. At the start of the match, number 4 makes a big mistake on Malcom, the referee says nothing. And it's the same one who does it again in the second half. On arrival you find yourself with three red cards. I have rarely seen this. The expulsion of Sabaly, but what is the basis for expelling him? The boy makes the tackle and removes the ball… We cannot say that he committed an attack. He plays the ball. Let the foot then touch the player a little, my God… For Thomas Carrique, it seems that there is no longer the double punishment. He applies it… Afterwards, for the third, if Plasil has said very inappropriate words, he must not say them […] But we didn't play as a team, everyone tried to do their own thing, and at the end you find yourself in this situation. And it’s been going on for a while.”

First professional match for Jules Koundé

This meeting was also the first professional match of Jules Koundé. He actually remembered it… Quite a first.

“My first professional match took place in Granville. It will stay in my head for life. Not because I played but because it was a catastrophic match. We took three reds and we were eliminated. That’s also football. You have to be ready when you are called upon. For some, the train may pass several times but generally, it only passes once. And when he passes and you miss him, it's very difficult to catch him. I was ready, the coach felt I was ready. That’s why he made me play.”

Jocelyn Gourvennec thanked shortly after…

On January 18, 2018, the then coach, Jocelyn
Gourvennecwas dismissed, barely two days after the new defeat, this time at home, of the Girondins against Caen (0-2). At the time, Bordeaux was 13th in Ligue 1, and had been accumulating poor results for almost three months, thus compromising further qualification for the European Cup. They remained with two victories, two draws and twelve defeats in the last 16 matches in all competitions, including Granville obviously… Another era.