Bordeaux are bottom of Ligue 1 and only fighting among themselves

When we last checked in with Bordeaux two months ago, it seemed as if things could not get any worse for the club, but somehow they have. They had just been thrashed 6-0 by Rennes and even the company that sponsored their shirts was making jokes at their expense. Bordeaux responded well to that defeat, beating Strasbourg 4-3 in a breathless game in late January, but results quickly soured again. They lost their next match 5-0 to Reims and have failed to win since.

Their match on Sunday seemed like a promising opportunity to right the ship. Montpellier have been wildly inconsistent this season, and with key men Mamadou Sakho and Stephy Mavididi missing, they looked vulnerable –their form has dipped badly in the new year, their charge for a European finish undone by a run of one win in six games.

Bordeaux were without forward Rémi Oudin, who was suspended, but the good news was that their veteran goalkeeper, Benoît Costil, returned after two months out injured, putting a merciful end to what had been a poor run of performances from his understudy, Gaëtan Poussin. Facing an out-of-form opponent with what was more or less their first-choice XI, this looked like an ideal time for Bordeaux to pick up some points. They were also playing at home and their supporters were well up for the match – perhaps a little too up for it, even, as flares delayed the start of the match. But the fans’ passion would soon turn sour.

Montpellier took the lead in the 11th minute. Elye Wahi has been the biggest beneficiary of Mavididi’s absence and the teenager opened the scoring, tucking the ball inside the far post after holding off centre-back Stian Gregersen. Marcelo had strayed out of position for the first goal and the Brazilian, who was