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Laurent Blanc leaves Lyon by mutual consent

Laurent Blanc leaves Lyon by mutual consent
© Reuters
Lyon announce that head coach Laurent Blanc has left his post by mutual consent following a tumultuous 11-month reign at the Groupama Stadium.

Lyon have confirmed that manager Laurent Blanc has left his post by "mutual agreement".

The former France and Paris Saint-Germain head coach took over at the Groupama Stadium from Peter Bosz in October 2022 but only managed 37 games before being given the boot.

With Blanc at the helm, Lyon laboured to a seventh-placed finish in the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season, missing out on European qualification by five points and finishing 11 behind Marseille in third.

Les Gones did progress as far as the semi-finals in last year's Coupe de France, but their hopes of glory came to an end with defeat to Nantes, and Blanc oversaw a disastrous start to the 2023-24 season.

With four games gone, Lyon sit at the bottom of the 18-team table with just one point to show for their efforts, having lost to Paris Saint-Germain, Montpellier HSC and Strasbourg, alongside a goalless stalemate with Nice.

Lyon coach Laurent Blanc reacts on September 3, 2023© Reuters

After his side were humbled 4-1 at home by Montpellier, Blanc boldly stated that a managerial change may help to pull Lyon out of their rut, but he insisted that he was not pushing to leave his post.

Blanc remained in charge for the draw with Nice, but his side then fell to another 4-1 defeat in front of their own fans, as champions PSG ran riot at the Groupama Stadium before the international break.

Immediately after the final whistle blew in that game, a stone-faced Lyon troupe were dressed down by a member of their ultras supporters group, seemingly leaving Blanc's position hanging by the thinnest of threads.

As expected, Lyon have now parted ways with the 57-year-old and his coaching team, although the French outfit have stated that the decision was a mutual one rather than a club decision to sack him.

"Olympique Lyonnais and Laurent Blanc have decided, by mutual agreement, to end their collaboration as of today. This decision also concerns Franck Passi and Philippe Lambert, assistant coaches," a statement read.

Laurent Blanc in charge of Paris Saint-Germain in May 2016© Reuters

"Olympique Lyonnais would like to thank Laurent Blanc and his staff for their involvement and professionalism during these 11 months spent at the head of the professional team."

Blanc ends his short-lived reign at Lyon with a record of 18 wins, seven draws and 12 defeats under his belt, and owner John Textor is now working to appoint his successor.

Former Chelsea boss Graham Potter was said to have been headhunted as a top candidate, but the Englishman turned down the chance to manage the seven-time French champions.

Reims' Will Still, Bologna's Thiago Motta and Marcelo Gallardo - most recently of River Plate - also supposedly rejected Lyon's approaches, and Les Gones are now believed to have turned to Julen Lopetegui and Gennaro Gattuso.

Lyon - who lost Bradley Barcola, Castello Lukeba, Houssem Aouar, Moussa Dembele, Thiago Mendes and Jerome Boateng over the summer - return to action at home to newly-promoted Le Havre on Sunday following the international hiatus.

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Chelsea head coach Graham Potter during defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on February 26, 2023.
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG1192033102329
2MonacoMonaco117221881023
3Marseille116232415920
4Lille115421811719
5Lyon115331815318
6Nice1145221111017
7Reims115241915417
8Lens11452129317
9Auxerre115152019116
10Toulouse114341311215
11StrasbourgStrasbourg113442022-213
12Brest114161419-513
13Rennes113261318-511
14NantesNantes112451417-310
15Angers112451320-710
16Saint-EtienneSt Etienne113171025-1510
17Le HavreLe Havre11308823-159
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier112181131-207


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