It is a return that was expected in the world of Ligue 1 football. Since 2016 and his last stint on a French bench at Paris Saint-Germain, the former tricolor international was announced everywhere, almost every time a coach landed. This was particularly the case in Lyon, in 2019. After six years of absence, the former coach of the France team signed up until 2024 with Olympique Lyonnais, to replace the Dutch Peter Bosz, who pays a very mixed start to the season.
>> Ligue 1: the projects awaiting Laurent Blanc in Lyon
If his name often came up in the debate in Ligue 1, he was ultimately never retained. To wondering, sometimes, if he hadn’t lost his touch. “It’s like cycling, you can’t get lost!”, reassures Franck Haise, the coach of RC Lens, at the dawn of Laurent Blanc’s reunion with the French benches.
“Obviously Laurent Blanc is a great coach!”
Franck Haise, RC Lens coachat franceinfo
For the Sang et Or coach, Laurent Blanc has not lost his touch. “He proved it in many places, especially at PSG, in Bordeaux, with the France team, obviously he is one of the great French coaches“, he insists.
Six years after his departure, Ligue 1 has changed a lot. But the 1998 world champion will also find many faces he knows well. To start with that of Olivier Létang, the former sports director of PSG, now president of Lille. “I’m happy for Laurent, we worked together and he’s a very good person“, he reacts.
Olivier Létang acknowledges that “it’s been a long time for him to wait. He deserves it, I’m very happy for him“If the reunion promises to be warm between the two men at the end of the month, there will be no concessions on the ground.”Good wind to him with Lyon! It will be a pleasure to see him again, but on the evening of the match, the objective will be to take the three points for us!“, he insists with a smile. The important thing is the three points, even against long-time friends. Laurent Blanc and Olympique Lyonnais will need it, the Gones remain on a series of five games without a win, including four losses.