>> MATCH REPORT: Obraniak stuns Lille in epic

After 12 top-flight appearances and just six starts in the first half of the season for the champions, Obraniak made the switch to the south-west in January in the hope of spending more time on the pitch than on the bench. The artful midfielder has since played every minute of Les Girondins' last three league games, scoring three times with two of those goals coming as the champions were beaten 5-4 last Sunday.

"More than anything else I am happy to be doing things for my new team. They took it upon themselves to pay a transfer fee," said Obraniak, for whom Bordeaux paid an estimated €1m despite the fact he would have been available on a free transfer next summer. "They have been really welcoming, and this was a chance for me to show that I can be an important part of this team, that I can give everything for this club. So I wanted to thank them and these goals go some way towards thanking them."

With Obraniak in the team, Bordeaux are unbeaten, and the seven points they have garnered in that time has lifted the 2008-09 French champions away from the relegation zone. "You could say that it was fate that that would happen," said Bordeaux coach Francis Gillot of Obraniak's display against his ex-club. "I am obviously happy for him. He scored his first goal for the club against Toulouse and there he did it again. That's three goals for us already. Maybe we should have signed him sooner."

But for the upcoming European Championship, Bordeaux may not have had the chance to pick up Obraniak during the winter transfer window. Having obtained Polish citizenship in 2009 thanks to his grandfather's origins, the 27-year-old has established himself at international level. However, Poland coach Franciszek Smuda had warned Obraniak his limited playing time at Lille was harming his chances of being included in the squad for EURO 2012.

"If you don't play very often for your club over a period of a year, then you don't have much chance of being on top form when you need to be. That is what the coach told me, that I absolutely needed to be playing football otherwise he couldn't guarantee me a place in the side as he has up until now. That is why I wanted to leave," said Obraniak, whose switch was not solely motivated by thoughts of next summer. "It was absolutely necessary for me because I was beginning to lose motivation and wasn't enjoying myself as much. After all, in this game, most of your pleasure is derived from playing games."

>> PLAYER PAGE: Ludovic Obraniak