Frenchman Laurent Blanc sacked from Al Rayyan coach due to poor results

Qatari club Al Rayyan sacked its French coach Laurent Blanc, after a series of negative results and his relegation to ninth place in the local league standings, and appointed Chilean Nicolas Cordova instead, according to what was announced today in a press statement.

Al Rayyan contracted with Blanc (56 years) in December 2020, and his tenure witnessed the signing of Colombian international playmaker James Rodriguez and French player Stephen Nzonzi.

A source in the club told (AFP) that "it was agreed to end the relationship between the club and the French coach, with Cordova taking over the task until the end of the season due to his association with the Qatari Olympic team, which is preparing for the Asian Under-23 Cup finals, which will be held in Uzbekistan next June. ".

But Al-Rayyan, who reached the final of the last Amir Cup, where he lost to Al-Sadd on penalties, fell in the local league to ninth place, as it is 28 points away from leaders Al-Sadd after 17 games he played this season, winning only four times.

Al Rayyan was also eliminated from the group stage of the Asian Champions League, bottoming the fifth group standings with two points from two draws and four losses.

The former Barcelona, ​​Inter Milan and Manchester United defender did not supervise any team between 2016, when he led Paris Saint-Germain to win the French Cup title at the expense of Marseille 4-2, and the end of 2020 is the date of his arrival in Qatar.

The 56-year-old Blanc, world champion in 1998 and Europe in 2000 with his country, had coached Bordeaux (2007-2010), Paris Saint-Germain (2013-2016) and the France national team (2010-2012).


In terms of training, Blanc, nicknamed "President" (President) led Bordeaux to the league title in 2009, and Saint-Germain to the crown three times between 2014 and 2016, after succeeding the distinguished Italian Carlo Ancelotti.

He was chosen as the best coach in the French league in 2008, 2015 and 2016.

Blanc, who played 97 international matches for his country, built a good reputation during six years with clubs, and was known with Saint-Germain for his attacking style and possession.

But his failure to deliver Saint-Germain to a continental title, prompted his Qatari administration to abandon him and bring in Spaniard Unai Emery, crowned at the time with the "European League" title three times with Seville.

Blanc became famous with his country when he scored the winning goal in the second round of the 98 World Cup against Paraguay (114), when France won the first title in its history.


And after he supervised the national team after the disastrous 2010 World Cup, he left his position in June 2012 after exiting the European Cup quarter-final against Spain (zero-2), which later won the title.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news