The Girondins clean up their core.
As mentioned on Monday, central defender Paul Baysse and midfielder Mehdi Zerkane were sidelined in Bordeaux. This Tuesday, L’Equipe confirms the information and explains that this decision was motivated by behavioral reasons. The second had in particular used the excuse to have the Covid-19 in order not to play the last two matches of the Coupe de France when his tests had been negative each time.
According to the sports daily, other elements are possibly affected by a shelving. The central defender Laurent Koscielny (36 years old, 11 games in all competitions this season), considered too often at fault, is one of the players concerned. This is also the case for forwards Josh Maja (23 years old, 2 appearances and 1 goal in all competitions this season) and Samuel Kalu (24 years old, 12 appearances and 1 goal in all competitions this season), who are not part of the plans of Vladimir Petkovic. Finally, defensive midfielder Otavio (27 years old, 17 games in all competitions this season) could also be punished. His management did not appreciate that the Brazilian, at the end of his contract in June, showed him his desire to stay when he had already signed a pre-contract with a Brazilian club for next summer.
Most of these elements being among the players from whom the Girondins wanted to separate in January, we can see here a way of convincing them to find a new club in the coming weeks.
