Pierre Sage took Lens to new heights. His substitute left after six video games | Ligue 1

It was beneath cowl of darkness that Yannick Cahuzac took his place within the Lens dugout on the Stade Louis II on Friday evening. The lights dimmed because the gamers made their entrance and Cahuzac, who had been named interim supervisor simply three days earlier, sat alone, leaning ahead on a seat that Dino Toppmöller would have occupied if not for a dramatic flip of occasions final week.

Cahuzac’s appointment, very like his entrance in Monaco, had a stealthy high quality, as if he had all the time been there and the switching of the lights was mere affirmation of his presence. Cahuzac left Lorient, the place he had been Olivier Pantaloni’s assistant, on the finish of final season to return to Lens, the place he had completed his enjoying profession earlier than working as Franck Haise’s assistant within the 2022–23 marketing campaign.

He was spoken about as a future No 1, however that was not the position he took in the summertime. Cahuzac remains to be an apprentice who has not but obtained his teaching {qualifications} so he returned to the membership as an assistant to Toppmöller. The German had the unenviable job of succeeding Pierre Sage, who unexpectedly departed to Crystal Palace after guiding Lens to a maiden Coupe de France triumph and a second-place end in Ligue 1 final season.

Lens weren’t anticipated to soar as excessive this season. Speaking in the summertime, the membership’s sporting director, Jean-Louis Leca, stated they have been “not a Champions League club” and that an eighth-place end in Ligue 1 would characterize success. Toppmöller’s first recreation in cost introduced silverware as Lens beat PSG within the Trophée des Champions; his first Ligue 1 recreation was a powerful 5-2 win over Auxerre; and his facet took all three factors away to Slavia Prague of their first Champions League recreation – not a foul begin after a summer season of upheaval and the departure of a number of vital gamers.

Results have dipped in current weeks however expectations have been being met. Hence the shock final week when it was introduced that the German had left the membership by mutual consent. Having taken cost of simply six video games, Toppmöller is Lens’s shortest-serving supervisor for the reason that second world warfare. His exit says extra in regards to the membership than it does the person. Explaining the parting of how, the chief govt, Benjamin Parrot, revealed a divide, not essentially between Toppmöller and his squad, however moderately throughout the workers itself.

“Even before the Trophée des Champions, we felt, within the staff, that there was a French group and then a more international group,” stated Parrot. Toppmöller introduced two assistants with him. Lens tried to sack one in every of them, Nelson Morgado, however Toppmöller stayed loyal to his assistant and refused to just accept his dismissal. He left and Cahuzac stepped up in his place.

Cahuzac was touted as Toppmöller’s successor earlier than he had even settled on the membership. That can’t be a wholesome surroundings for any new supervisor. Perhaps the writing was all the time on the wall for Toppmöller, particularly on condition that Leca – Cahuzac’s shut good friend and former teammate at Bastia – is the membership’s sporting director. Leca is aware of the way it appears to be like. “Yes, he is my friend, but inside these walls he isn’t my friend. Inside these walls, I am his line manager,” stated Leca.

To recommend that Cahuzac’s appointment is pure nepotism is unfair. Lorient have been one of the tactically attention-grabbing groups in Ligue 1 final season and whereas Pantaloni – who was nominated for the manager-of-the-season award – earned a lot of the plaudits, Cahuzac performed a key position too. He additionally is aware of the membership, having performed for them for 3 seasons and labored beneath Haise as an assistant.

His first recreation in cost, towards Monaco, didn’t start nicely. The hosts have been 1-0 up at half-time however they’d the ball within the Lens web on three events, denied by the assistant referee’s flag. Cahuzac modified ways on the interval, which helped, and Matthieu Udol headed in a deserved equaliser. Franjo Ivanovic and Thorgan Hazard had probabilities as Lens pushed for a winner. In the tip, it was a Lens participant who scored however, sadly for Jonathan Gradit, it was into his personal web.

So, Cahuzac’s tenure begins with a valiant 2-1 defeat. The 41-year-old was a pitbull of a participant however he was nearly inert in his dugout. He stood like a statue, along with his hand on his chin in a pensive pose that exuded a studious serenity. After the turbulent week Lens have had, the membership want a way of calm.

Talking factors

On the subject of messy break-ups, there was an sad reunion between Liam Rosenior and Strasbourg on Saturday. The pair had not met since Rosenior was hurried out the door to affix sister membership Chelsea in January. There is not any love misplaced. The Englishman led Paris FC to a 2-1 win, persevering with his unbeaten run since returning to Ligue 1 this summer season. He celebrated the win in entrance of the travelling Strasbourg followers, a response, Rosenior stated, to insulting chants about his household from the away finish. An unsavoury confrontation between each units of gamers and workers ensued. Rosenior stated the chants had gone “too far” and that “celebrating like that was clearly a message”. His gamers additionally despatched a message, confirming that they’re within the combine for Champions League qualification.

PSG beat Marseille 2-1 in a Classique that encapsulated the golf equipment’ seasons to this point; each are struggling. For PSG, the factors are not less than now flowing. Ferran Torres continues to show a high-quality signing. He got here off the bench to attain the opening purpose. Marquinhos redeemed himself for his personal purpose on this fixture final season, which gave Marseille their first win over PSG on the Vélodrome in Ligue 1 in 14 years. That seems like a very long time in the past now. The issues for Marseille solely deepen. There have been shiny moments, notably Angel Gomes’s equaliser, however Bruno Génésio’s facet have now misplaced 4 of their first 5 league matches. “A Ligue 2 project?” learn a banner from the house followers. They go into the worldwide break within the relegation zone.

Despite the sport being briefly suspended after the house followers unfurled an insulting banner that focused their fierce rivals Saint-Étienne, Lyon made a press release with a 4-0 win over Rennes. They rotated of their midweek Europa League win over Anderlecht, a transparent however disappointing signal of the place their priorities lie. It paid off, nonetheless. Rennes fielded a stronger facet towards Sturm Graz however didn’t take the three factors, and their striker Esteban Lepaul was consequently not concerned from the beginning towards Lyon. A full-strength Lyon made brief work of Franck Haise’s facet, who might wrestle to steadiness their European and league commitments. Rennes didn’t lay a glove on Lyon, whose personal followers posed the best menace.