Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin, with AFP 20:00 p.m., March 16, 2023

Five months after the appointment of Laurent Blanc as coach of Olympique Lyonnais, the president of the Rhône club Jean-Michel Aulas has full confidence in the former coach of Les Bleus. Exclusively in "Europe 1 Sport", the club's leader said he wanted to build a long-term project with his coach.

He had been called at the last minute to extinguish the Lyon fire. Arrived urgently at OL last October, following the dismissal of coach Peter Bosz because of poor results, Laurent Blanc can count on a major support, that of his president Jean-Michel Aulas. Interviewed exclusively in Europe 1 Sport (every evening from 20 p.m. to 23 p.m.), the leader of the Rhône club sent a strong message to his coach, despite the mixed record of the former coach of the France team since taking office.

For the first time since Laurent Blanc's arrival 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 could not be done for various reasons," said the head of the company and president of OL. And now that he is in place, Jean-Michel Aulas does not intend to let him go anytime soon: "He is here for a long time and it is true that for me, it is a fantastic security to be able to count on someone who does not sometimes let himself be defeated."

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In "the duration"

Laurent Blanc had recently said he hoped to "be part of the long term" with OL while acknowledging that only the results would decide what happens next. The Rhône club, which hosts Nantes on Friday for the 28th matchday of Ligue 1, currently occupies only tenth place in the standings, far from its initial ambitions. But Jean-Michel Aulas is convinced, "results come with duration" and he is convinced that "Laurent will be responsible for future success."

"He is a great person, who has charisma, who also has experience," said the OL president, who still hopes to hang up a qualifying place for Europe next year. With 40 points, Lyon are seven points behind 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 get rid of the Nantes, defending champions, on April 4 on the occasion of the semi-finals of the competition.