Lyon sacks Laurent Blanc as coach after terrible start to the French league season
Seven-time French champion Lyon parted ways on Monday with coach Laurent Blanc following a terrible start to the French league season.
Lyon has only one point in four matches, and conceded 10 goals, with the club sitting at the bottom of the standings after a humiliating 4-1 home loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Blanc, whose experience at the helm of the club lasted just 11 months, was under contract until June 2024. The former France coach had complained about the frugal offseason purchases amid a legal dispute and clashes between the club’s current owner, American businessman John Textor, and his predecessor Jean-Michel Aulas.
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Lyon said Blanc left the club mutual consent alongside assant coaches Franck Passi and Philippe Lambert.
Deputy coach Jean-Francois Vulliez has been appointed caretaker, working alongside former Lyon players Jeremie Brechet and Sonny Anderson while the club looks for a permanent successor for Blanc. Former AC Milan and Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso is reportedly among the candidates being considered Textor.Most Read
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After finishing last season in seventh place and 23 points behind champion PSG, Lyon got off to its worst start to a season since 1966. Lyon has scored the fewest goals (three), and also conceded the most along with next-to-last Lens.
Lyon’s next league match is against promoted Le Havre on Sunday.
A former France coach, Blanc led Bordeaux to the league title in 2009 — when he ended Lyon’s run of titles from 2002-08 — before guiding Paris Saint-Germain to three straight league titles from 2014 to 2016.