Mario Balotelli was sent off in stoppage time as Nice saw their lead at the top of Ligue 1 cut to two points by rivals Monaco.
The former Liverpool and Manchester City forward, who had earlier been linked with a Premier League return, was shown a straight red card for a petulant kick out at Bordeaux defender Igor Lewczuk.
His dismissal came just hours after his agent Mino Raiola revealed the Italian could be on his way back to the Premier League and he had ‘already held talks with English clubs’.
Balotelli had a miserable spell at Liverpool after first arriving in England with Manchester City but has rediscovered his scoring touch at high-flying Nice, finding the net 10 times in 13 matches.
Balotelli has ‘already held talks with English clubs’ over a possible return to the Premier League, his agent Mino Raiola has claimed.
Nice striker Alassane Plea and Bordeaux’s Brazilian forward Malcom went close in the first half, during which Balotelli had to change his bloodied shirt after getting caught by a stray arm from Bordeaux midfielder Jeremy Toulalan.
Bordeaux striker Diego Rolan hit the post and Balotelli went close with an effort whcih was parried by the Bordeaux goalkeeper.
Balotelli was sent off in stoppage time and midfielder Younes Belhanda joined him in the dressing room moments later for another perceived retaliation.
Striker Edinson Cavani scored his 18th league goal of the season as Paris Saint-Germain trounced woeful Lorient 5-0 on Wednesday to take some pressure off coach Unai Emery heading into the winter break.
Third-place PSG is three points behind Monaco, which beat Caen 2-1 at home, and five behind league leader Nice, which drew 0-0 away to Bordeaux.
COMMENTS