January 28th, 8 AM
The entire Bastia squad assembled and flew to Clermont-Ferrand.
Ligue 2 matches were generally held around 3 PM in the afternoon, unless they were featured matches.
For example, this round saw eight of ten matches kicking off at 2.50 PM, but two were scheduled for the prime-time slot of 8.30 PM. Metz vs. Sedan and Monaco vs. Lens.
Traditional French powerhouses atttracted decent attention even in Ligue 2.
The match between Clermont and Bastia actually had considerable attention as well, being the current top-of-the-table clash.
The day before, Hajdibegic had appeared extremely humble at the pre-match press conference, showing none of the ambition for promotion. Instead, he said. "We're just promoted from the third tier to Ligue 2. Our current second-place position is only because other teams haven't adjusted yet. Our primary goal is still to avoid relegation."
Second in the league, yet the primary goal was avoiding relegation.
In contrast, Clermont's head coach Der Zakarian made no attempt to hide his determination for promotion. "I've been at Clermont for nearly three years. My day-to-day work has been for one thing only—to lead Clermont in breaking a century of club history and reach the top flight. This is my only goal. No matter who the opponent is, we'll give our all."
Der Zakarian wasn't speaking carelessly. They had won the first half of the season.
Moreover, among the top six teams, they were the only one with more than a three-point advantage over the teams behind them.
However they looked at it, their chances of promotion this season were very good. As long as they played steadily, he couldn't see how they wouldn't get promoted.
However, when 3 PM arrived and the match had been going for ten minutes, Der Zakarian's expression was serious.
Despite having home advantage and the support of ten thousand fans at Gabriel Montpied Stadium, Clermont had conceded first!
And they also had a red card!
In the first ten minutes, Clermont had bombarded Bastia's goal.
Bastia didn't have a single attacking opportunity—they were purely defending and taking a beating.
But in the ninth minute, Bastia got an attacking chance on the right flank. David charged forward and, with no space to cut inside, was forced to cross.
This cross was headed on by Maolida to the onrushing Roten.
When Roten received the ball and an opposing player closed in, he made a feint that threw off his opponent's balance, drawing a foul with studs showing that caught Roten's knee.
The opposing defender Landré was sent off with a straight red card.
From the subsequent free kick, Roten delivered the ball into the penalty area. In the ensuing chaos, another striker, Hazri, found the net.
"Clermont is in dire straits!" even the match commentator couldn't help but exclaim.
On the sideline, Hajdibegic felt this match was in the bag, his face was beaming with joy.
Up a man and a goal ahead—how could they possibly lose?
However, when he signaled that they could push forward a bit more, conflict erupted on the field after a few minutes.
Bastia midfielder Kahusac got into a confrontation with opposing striker Mana Dembélé, squaring up to each other.
Players from both sides immediately joined the fray.
In the chaos, Hazri lost his composure and got into a physical altercation with an opponent. During the struggle, an elbow motion directly chopped the opposing player Alexandrini from behind, instantly opening a cut above his eyebrow.
A bleeding incident.
The referee, linesmen, and substitute players from both teams rushed to separate everyone.
It took quite a while to stabilize the situation.
Then came the cards.
The referee handed out yellow cards one by one—four in total.
Then he gave Hazri a red card! Straight red, off the field!
Now both teams were even in numbers—Bastia's numerical advantage was gone.
The fans at Montpied Stadium unleashed a torrent of abuse and cheers that combined into a wave of sound sweeping through the entire stadium.
Some fans threw fireworks toward the pitch edge, and for a moment, the entire stadium was shrouded in smoke.
The players could barely see people in the distance.
The actions of players from both sides gradually became more aggressive, and the referee, having given so many cards after the previous conflict, seemed reluctant to issue more.
The situation gradually spiraled out of control.
The players were no longer playing toward the goal but toward each other.
Bastia was quite accustomed to this type of match.
For a time, the entire pitch was in chaos.
The players' roars, the coaches' protests, and the deafening noise from the fans put increasing pressure on referee Auguste.
Seeing the situation in danger of complete loss of control, Auguste showed no mercy and gave Kahusac another yellow card for a flying tackle that brought down the opposing Dembélé.
Two yellows made a red—off the field.
Hajdibegic raged at the fourth official on the sideline. "We were just tackled the same way! Why is this only a yellow card?!"
His behavior also earned him a yellow card.
And he continued his tirade.
"Too chaotic—this match is too chaotic," the broadcast commentator couldn't help saying. "This match has been cut up too much. Since the red card appeared, there have been almost no complete attacking sequences."
Fans from both sides watching the broadcast were infected by the atmosphere on the field and began trading insults online.
Emotions ran high.
This red card slightly cooled the emotions on the field.
But when it was Bastia's turn to play a man down, with three fewer players on the pitch, space opened up more and more.
Clermont launched a barrage of attacks.
In the 31st minute, they scored the equalizer.
Then when Bastia tried to use physical play again to slow down their opponents' attacks, Auguste was very decisive with his cards this time.
At this point, Bastia had nine men on the field, with four of them carrying yellow cards.
They didn't dare make any more big challenges.
Of course, Clermont wasn't much better off—ten men, also with four carrying yellows.
Then, in the 39th minute, Clermont scored a highly controversial goal. Defender Saze had a suspected handball in the penalty area. The broadcast footage showed it quite clearly—he originally couldn't control the ball well, but the handball slowed down the ball's speed.
He controlled it and passed it across. Then Clermont made two passes in the penalty area and poked the ball into the goal.
Bastia players protested frantically.
But Auguste still allowed the goal.
Montpied Stadium erupted in tremendous cheers—they had turned it around!
In this chaotic top-of-the-table clash, the scales of victory were tipping toward them.
Hajdibegic really couldn't take it anymore. He unleashed a tirade at the fourth official.
Auguste issued another card. Two yellows made a red.
Hajdibegic was sent off.
Clap clap clap!
Clermont fans were overjoyed, cheering and giving the departing Hajdibegic the middle finger.
Bastia fans watching the broadcast felt inevitable despair in their hearts.
They could only curse to vent their feelings, but it was useless for the situation on the field.