After days of anxiety and displacement, Girondins de Bordeaux finally stepped back onto their home turf at the Le Haillan training center on Thursday. The club had been forced to flee their usual facilities nearly a week prior as catastrophic wildfires tore through the pine forests of the region, threatening lives and property alike.
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Subscribe Sekarang →Recalling the harrowing ordeal, player Oualid El Hajjam revealed in an interview with So Foot that the squad "had to be evacuated in the night from Friday to Saturday" as the towering flames aggressively advanced toward their location. The sudden disruption added another heavy layer of stress to a club already navigating a turbulent period filled with off-field challenges.
Prior to the return, the team was forced to hold training sessions further north in Bassens. According to head coach Rio Mavuba, stepping back into familiar surroundings "feels good" after a chaotic week, as reported by L'Équipe. The squad wasted no time refocusing on the pitch, gearing up for their opening pre-season friendly against Bayonne.
While the players and staff celebrate a semblance of normality, the broader community faces a long road ahead. Thoughts remain firmly with the local residents whose homes were severely damaged or entirely destroyed by the relentless blazes, making any immediate return impossible.