This is a first moment of truth for the Girondins de Bordeaux this offseason. They are expected this Thursday morning in front of the DNCG in Paris. The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. before the financial policeman of French football. For months, Gérard Lopez has been repeating that he will have a solution when the time comes to finance next season. The club actually needs a contribution of around thirty million euros for that.
The owner and president of the Girondins de Bordeaux has therefore been in discussions with investors for several months. Problem, for the moment, no agreement has been finalized. And it will therefore be a hell of a handicap in front of the intractable DNCG.
Towards a demotion as a precautionary measure in National
Indeed, despite very advanced discussions with an American financial institution, there is still nothing signed today as the Spanish-Luxembourg businessman explained to the board of directors of the Girondins de Bordeaux on Wednesday evening. The only guarantee that the club will provide at the moment will be Gérard Lopez himself. He will again stand as guarantor as other leaders do.
Except that he is not a leader like any other. In any case, not for the DNCG. If he regained a little credit with his members a year ago by putting 40 million euros on the table to allow the club to start again for a season, the fact of vouching this Thursday morning should not be enough. It is therefore very likely that we are heading towards a precautionary demotion in National of the Girondins de Bordeaux as in 2022. The club will of course appeal this decision and will then have a new deadline to find a solution. And above all, perhaps, finally finalize the arrival of this American investor.
Really advanced discussions?
Is the situation already very worrying? As is often the case, it depends on each person. For the eternal optimists, not necessarily. They put forward the fact that discussions with this structure, already established in sport in Europe and the United States, are well underway and very advanced. According to a member of the CA, its representatives have already accepted the club’s business plan. The Spanish-Luxembourgish businessman is also said to have found with them an agreement on the amount of the investment (100 million euros) and its duration (6 years). For Gérard Lopez, it is above all a question of details and deadlines. All this against a backdrop of pending TV rights which does not help since the business plan foresees a return to Ligue 1 within two years.
But, for others, these negotiations are slipping too much and that is never a good sign. This remains too vague… and therefore, there must be a wolf! There is also the history of recent months which does not work in favor of Gérard Lopez with a whole bunch of announcements and twists and turns without anything coming to fruition in the end. From the rapid arrival of a minority investor to the possibility of a loan with a major Swiss bank, including the refusal to put the Girondins de Bordeaux up for sale. Not sure that the club will escape the ax forever.
The absence of a real plan B worries
But what is perhaps most worrying at the moment is the absence of a real plan B. Gérard Lopez seems to be betting everything on negotiations with this American investor. A very dangerous strategy, especially with such short timings. This is a real change since in previous seasons the owner and president of the Girondins de Bordeaux had always said that he would plug the hole in the worst case scenario. Today, after investing more than 60 million euros in the club, this is no longer the case. Can he finally do it again? Will he get help from partners? In any case, this is the great concern in the immediate environment of the Navy and White.
A situation which also pushes some to open the door to a very rapid sale of the club. This option should quickly be put on the table in Gérard Lopez’s entourage. Do we still have to find the candidates? One thing is certain for the latter, it is perhaps reactivating their file and reviewing it because it could very quickly be reconsidered.
