According to Agence France-Presse, Bordeaux today excluded three players from the first team, including the 36-year-old veteran captain Koscielny.
Bordeaux have had a poor record in Ligue 1 this season and are currently only temporarily 17th in the standings. In such cases, they seek to cut redundant staff, reduce the club's salary expenses and exclude Koscielny from the first team as their first move.
Koscielny is Bordeaux's highest-paid player and in June he has the option to renew his contract with the club for two years. This season, plagued by injuries, Koscielny has played just 11 of his 20 Ligue 1 games. With a positive COVID-19 test during the holiday season, Koscielny remained on the bench last week's match against Marseille.
(Two monsters)
![Koscielny: Bordeaux said they didn't need me anymore, it was like a heavy punch in my face[fig]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)