While there will be very little sympathy from West Ham United supporters for Jean-Clair Todibo’s ongoing nightmare across the Channel, Vladimir Coufal’s success always raises a smile in East London.

Todibo left the Hammers under a cloud of his own conjuring. He stormed off without shaking Nuno Espirito Santo’s hand in a crucial defeat by Newcastle which almost guaranteed relegation, then refused to even consider dropping down to the second-tier.

Half-fit and fully-overwhelmed, Todibo’s Lens were thrashed by Freddie Potts’ Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday. Vladimir Coufal, though, found himself on the right side of a 3-0 scoreline a day later in Sinsheim.

Former West Ham United men Vladimir Coufal and Nayef Aguerd in European action

If Todibo symbolises the worst aspects of West Ham United’s recruitment, then Coufal became a fan favourite out of sheer desire, spirit, and consistency. The former a £36 million flop, the latter a £5.4 million bargain.

Over in Germany, Coufal is Hoffenheim’s ‘Mr Reliable’. Although such a moniker maybe does a disservice to a right-back who provided a career-high nine assists en route to Europa League qualification last season, and even scored a free-kick against the mighty Bayern Munich.

While Todibo’s Lens face an uphill battle keeping their Champions League campaign alive, Coufal’s Hoffenheim breathed fresh life into their Europa lungs on Thursday. After successive defeats by OFI Crete and Besiktas, Christian Ilzer’s side flipped the form book on its head as they crushed Ligue 1 leaders Lyon 3-0.

Coufal would not add a fourth assist to this season’s tally, but he did play a major role in the opener. His long-throw hurled into the box, eventually converted by Hoffenheim’s all-time top scorer – and one-time Leicester City benchwarmer – Andrej Kramaric.

Their ‘GOAT’, in the words of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. Ask your kids.

But as Hoffenheim threatened to kick-start their season, Marseille’s hit a new low across the Austrian border. Bruno Genesio’s crisis-hit, financially-stricken L’OM outfit went down 1-0 to Sturm Graz, and the result flattered the beleaguered visitors.

Nayef Aguerd was actually one of Genesio’s better performers. But Marseille are unravelling fast, and the spectre of Bordeaux – the 2009 Ligue 1 winners are playing sixth-tier football after twice going into administration – looms large.

“Struggling at times, Aguerd still did his job,” writes Coeur Marseillais, handing the Moroccan a 5/10 for his efforts in Austria.

A mixed night – a mixed week in fact – for former Hammers in Europe.