Despite their cluster, the Girondins should play well on Sunday in Brest

The Girondins hoped for another outcome to this incredible scenario. Raised against the lack of flexibility of the French Football Federation, Bordeaux, which has 21 positive Covid-19 cases out of 30 players, should line up a team, surely rejuvenated, Sunday in Brest for the round of 32 Coupe de France.

⚽️ The decision of the @FFF It’s incredible. Basically, the @girondins must play with whoever… U19s, U15s or U11s. The club will move with 7 pros (if not positive by then) and a dozen kids. Lamentable and dangerous! 1/2 #Bordeaux #Girondins #FCGB

— Clement Carpentier (@clementcarpet) December 31, 2021

Will it be composed mainly of professionals? Will it look like a “makeshift team” with players from the reserve, from the U19s? For now, no one knows what the Girondins will decide.

Removal of the “seven player rule”

While the scapular club, via a press release Thursday from its president Gérard Lopez, wanted, without actually asking, a postponement of its match in Brest despite the intransigence of the FFF, organizer of the event, the latter opened a breach Friday by exceptionally relaxing its regulations.

Until Thursday, any club engaged in the Coupe de France had to present at least seven players who participated in one of the last two official meetings. “Bordeaux was at the limit, a single player or a goalkeeper, which is the same for us, can make us switch”, even confided Friday shortly before noon the doctor of the Girondins Thierry Delmeule. The elimination of this “rule of seven players” obviously changes the situation, because Bordeaux only had one defender and six valid attackers. “This forces us to play,” said Thierry Delmeule ironically when the rule change was announced.

“We are going to Brest with the desire to win”

“They are afraid that we still have positive players,” engaged coach Vladimir Petkovic, and that Bordeaux forfeit. To date, the seven valid pro players are Timothée Pembélé, Javeiro Dilrosun, Amadou Traoré, Josh Maja, Alberth Élis, Jimmy Briand and Hwang Ui-Jo. Benoit Costil and Gaëtan Poussin having tested positive for Covid-19, Davy Rouyard should operate in goal.

For the rest of the workforce, the Bordeaux technician will draw on the club’s reserves to form his group. “On a medical level, if they are able to play in National 3, they are also able to play with us,” said the Bordeaux doctor.

“We’re going to Brest with the desire to win, not just to take part in a show. I will try to make a [groupe] mixed to put all the chances in our side, continued Petkovic. In this case, the first thing to do is to focus on us, to work well together. We have been pretty good at getting out of the difficulties so far, we have to help each other and join forces. For the moment the other team [Brest] is favorite, which gives the opportunity to create a big surprise. “