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Girondins Bordeaux owner Gerard Lopez after being relegated
Photo: JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP
The six-time French soccer champion Girondins Bordeaux falls into the third division because of financial problems.
After an economic test, the relegated from Ligue 1 will have to play in the National 1, the third division, next season.
This was announced by the league association LFP on Tuesday.
The broadcaster RMC reported estimates that the financially troubled Girondins owe around 40 million euros.
According to French media reports, the club can take action against the decision within a week.
Bordeaux, champions for the last time in 2009, is owned by the Spanish-Luxembourgish businessman Gerard Lopez, who has appeared in the past as a Formula 1 racing team owner, among other things.
In the 1980s in particular, Girondins was one of the most successful French clubs, with three league titles and two cup wins.
The stars included the European champions Jean Tigana and Bernard Lacombe as well as the later world champion coach Aime Jacquet.
In the 1990s, the future world footballer Zinédine Zidane and the long-time Bayern professional Bixente Lizarazu played for Bordeaux.
In the past season, the club descended from bottom of the table.
Ligue 1 loses the next traditional club
Bordeaux are not the only traditional club that will no longer play in Ligue 1 next season.
At the end of May, AS St. Etienne was relegated via relegation.
Then there was serious rioting, fans stormed the square, shot pyrotechnics into the crowd.
According to official figures, 33 people were injured at the time.
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