Lyon fires coach following worst season start ever

Lyon, with just one point from four games, has had a disastrous start to the season. In fact, the club has never had such a poor beginning to a new year. For the first time since 1995, Lyon can be found at the bottom of the league table.

Blanc had been under considerable pressure at Lyon for some time. Due to financial constraints, the club couldn't make significant moves in the transfer market, and the Frenchman wasn't pleased with this. 'I'm not responsible for everything,' he alluded to the financial troubles. 'Of course, developing players is part of the project, but if you look at when Lyon won trophies, it wasn't the young players who delivered them. They did contribute, but they were surrounded by great players. The fact that we can't sign players puts a lot of strain on us.'

Blanc has always been a contentious figure at the club and now has to step aside. He had a contract until the end of this season, which goes until 2024. Assistant coach Jean-François Vulliez will take over the duties until Lyon finds a successor for Blanc.

Who will succeed Blanc is still unknown, but L'Equipe has mentioned the name of Gennaro Gattuso. According to the French sports newspaper, the Italian is one of the candidates.