Montpellier playmaker Younes Belhanda believes that he and his teammates went "soft" this season.

The defending French champions are currently languishing in eighth place in Ligue 1, seven points off the final Champions League slot.

"At the start of the season, we still hadn't gotten over our title," ESPNSoccernet quotes him as saying.

"There were some departures and arrivals, but that upheaval doesn't explain everything, notably our attitude, which wasn't the same as last year when, even if we weren't playing well, we were able to shut up shop and win 1-0.

"Just as in our recent games against Saint-Etienne and Rennes, you'd say that we've let ourselves go. We've gone soft after becoming champions."

Montpellier are away at Evian TG in Ligue 1 on Saturday.