Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin, with AFP
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8:04 p.m., March 16, 2023
Five months after the appointment of Laurent Blanc as coach of Olympique Lyonnais, the president of the Rhone club Jean-Michel Aulas has full confidence in the former coach of the Blues. Exclusively in “Europe 1 Sport”, the club leader said he wanted to build a long-term project with his coach.
He had been called at the last minute to put out the fire in Lyon. Arrived urgently at OL last October, following the dismissal of coach Peter Bosz due to poor results, Laurent Blanc can count on significant support, that of its president Jean-Michel Aulas. Interviewed exclusively in Europe 1 Sport (every evening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), the leader of the Rhone club sent a strong message to his coach, despite the mixed results of the former coach of the France team since taking office.
For the first time since the arrival of Laurent Blanc at OL, Jean-Michel Aulas has publicly mentioned the arrival of Laurent Blanc. A choice he had in mind for some time: “It’s true that Laurent should have come three years ago. It couldn’t be done for various reasons,” said the business manager. and president of OL. And now that he’s in place, Jean-Michel Aulas doesn’t intend to let him go anytime soon: “He’s here for a long time and it’s true that for me, it’s fantastic security to be able to count on someone who does not let himself be put down sometimes.”
In the time”
Laurent Blanc had recently declared that he hoped to “register for the long term” with OL while acknowledging that only the results would decide what happens next. The Rhone club, which hosts Nantes on Friday for the 28th day of Ligue 1, currently only occupies tenth place in the standings, very far from its initial ambitions. But Jean-Michel Aulas is convinced, “the results come with time” and he is convinced that “Laurent will be responsible for future success.”
“He’s a wonderful person, who has charisma, who also has experience”, underlined the president of OL who still hopes to grab a qualifying place for Europe next year. With 40 points, the Lyonnais are seven points behind in the last qualifying place for a European competition (Rennes with 47 points). Still in contention in the Coupe de France, Laurent Blanc and Jean-Michel Aulas also have another way out to win a ticket for Europe. But for that, it will be necessary to manage to get rid of Nantes, holders of the title, on April 4th during the semi-finals of the competition.