Laurent Blanc with the Variété club de France in Poissy, September 6, 2020. -

CHRISTOPHE SAIDI / SIPA

It was not really the destination where we expected it, but four years later, Laurent Blanc found a sideline.

Without a post since his departure from PSG in 2016, the former coach of the France team signed an 18-month contract with the Qatari club of Al Rayyan, a source within the club told AFP on Saturday.

Blanc, 55, will be officially presented at a press conference scheduled for Saturday at 5:30 p.m. local (3:30 p.m. French), said this source.

While his name had been circulating for several seasons in more prestigious championships, in particular in France where he failed to take over OL last season and rejected an offer from FC Nantes a few days ago, Blanc will take charge a club which occupies the 6th place of the Championship of Qatar with 13 points after nine days.

Reunion with the princely family Al Thani

He will cross in Qatar, organizer of the next World Cup in 2022, the road of a former big name in European football, the Spaniard Xavi who has been coaching the Al Sadd club since 2019, current leader of the local championship (25 pts ).

Blanc will also find several people he met at PSG, since his new club belongs to the princely family Al Thani, who controls the Parisian club that Blanc coached from 2013 to 2016.

In just six seasons as a club coach, three in Bordeaux (2007-2010), as many at PSG (2013-2016), Blanc has forged an impressive record, with four French league titles including three in the capital.

He had also offered PSG a playing identity, based on offense and possession of the ball.

His stint at the head of the Blues between 2010 and 2012 was more mixed, between a disappointing Euro and the case of discriminatory ethnic quotas.

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