Big stage lures Plašil to Bordeaux
Thursday, July 9, 2009
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CA Osasuna midfielder Jaroslav Plašil has returned to France to join FC Girondins de Bordeaux, with the Czech Republic international saying: "I wanted to play in the UEFA Champions League again."
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CA Osasuna midfielder Jaroslav Plašil has returned to France to join FC Girondins de Bordeaux, saying: "I wanted to play in the UEFA Champions League again."
Four-year deal
The Czech international, 27, has signed a four-year contract with the French champions, who paid Pamplona-based Osasuna a fee of around €3m for his services. Capped 47 times by the Czech Republic, the one-time FC Hradec Králové trainee came to France as a teenager in 2000 to join AS Monaco FC, with whom he played in the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League final.
Pamplona record
Plašil moved to Osasuna in June 2007, and scored eight goals in 66 league games before the prospect of a return to UEFA Champions League group stage football lured him to Bordeaux. Earlier this summer Laurent Blanc's side made Yoann Gourcuff's loan move from AC Milan to the Stade Chaban-Delmas permanent and also signed Toulouse FC goalkeeper Cédric Carrasso.