Vladimir Petkovic and his former assistant Antonio Manicone have escalated their ongoing legal battle with FC Girondins de Bordeaux by formally filing an appeal against a recent labor tribunal decision, according to reports from regional publication Sud Ouest.
Legal Battle Moves to Appeal Following Tribunal Ruling
The labor court previously ruled in favor of Bordeaux, dismissing claims brought by the former managers and ordering Petkovic and Manicone to pay significant procedural costs. According to tribunal records obtained by Sud Ouest, Petkovic was ordered to pay 25,000 euros, while Manicone was assessed 10,000 euros. Court filings show that legal representatives for the two technicians formally lodged an appeal in recent days, setting the stage for a prolonged legal review that judicial analysts expect will not reach a hearing before 2026.
Legal counsel for the coaching staff, Arnaud Constans, strongly criticized the initial judgment. “The judgments are so questionable and contrary to the law that an appeal is essential,” Constans stated to Sud Ouest, adding that the tribunal’s initial findings largely adopted the club’s defensive arguments while setting aside witness testimony, training logs, and video evidence submitted by the defense.
Tribunal Findings on Training Methods and Strategy
The core of the initial labor tribunal ruling focused on the day-to-day performance of the coaching staff while Bordeaux struggled near the foot of the Ligue 1 table. The court’s judgment claimed that Petkovic “never performed analysis work and even less adaptation/modification of training sessions, both collective and individual,” during a period when the squad was conceding a high volume of goals.
The tribunal’s written decision asserted that the former coach “voluntarily abstained from fulfilling his primary and essential obligations as head coach.” To support this evaluation, the bureau relied on statements and attestations from club officials, including sporting director Admar Lopes, performance director André Monteiro, and presidential advisor James Stevens. According to the tribunal’s findings, Stevens—who attended training sessions—noted a perceived passivity from Petkovic regarding the team’s worsening results. The court documents further state that Petkovic repeatedly declined recommendations from the sporting director and failed to deliver requested strategic performance plans.
The Laurent Koscielny Dispute and Duty of Reserve
A separate pillar of the tribunal’s justification for upholding the dismissal involves the handling of veteran defender Laurent Koscielny. On January 12, 2022, club president Gérard Lopez announced in an interview with Sud Ouest that Koscielny was being removed from the first-team squad for strategic reasons. Two days later, during a pre-match press conference, Petkovic told media members that the center-back remained his primary team captain.
The labor court ruled that Petkovic’s public remarks directly contradicted executive directives and constituted a breach of his professional obligation of reserve. Consequently, the tribunal determined that this friction justified a dismissal for gross misconduct, concluding that repeated failures to align with club directives damaged institutional interests and made his continued employment untenable.
Current Professional Postings and Next Steps
While the litigation moves through the French appellate system, both managers have secured new positions in international football. Petkovic currently serves as the head coach of the Algeria national team, while Manicone works as an assistant coach for the Iran national team.
The appellate proceedings are not expected to commence until 2026, leaving the financial penalties and the formal attribution of fault subject to review by a higher judicial panel.
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