Facing Transition: Lyon’s Preparation for the Post-Grosso Era

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Lyon is set to face a resurgent Lens this Saturday, looking to rebound from a disastrous season that claimed yet another coaching victim – Fabio Grosso.

The 46-year-old Italian stepped into the hot seat to replace Laurent Blanc on September 16 but lasted just over two months. His record of one win in seven matches prompted Lyon to make a change.

The club stated that the decision to part ways with Grosso was due to the poor results after a thorough analysis of the first-team situation.

With Lyon still at the bottom of the table, situated five points from safety, their performance has been dismal with only one win and seven points from 12 matches.

The single victory took place on matchday 12 against Rennes, but Lyon’s upper echelons were not reassured by the narrow win against a 10-man side.

Grosso’s final match in charge was a defeat against Lille, marking an unhappy tenure as Lyon’s head coach. His departure comes after a difficult start, including head injuries sustained in a bus incident.

Pierre Sage will replace Grosso as Lyon’s new coach and lead the team against Lens. He will be the fourth coach for Lyon this season.

Elsewhere in Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain will lead the day’s fixtures with a match against Le Havre. Table-toppers Monaco will also face Montpellier, and Nice will visit Nantes.

Keep an eye on 23-year-old Algerian forward Amine Gouiri, as he continues to make strides in Ligue 1.

Key stats: 4 – The number of defeats Grosso endured as Lyon coach in seven league matches.

5 – The record number of coaches a team has had in one Ligue 1 season since 2000 (Marseille 2001-02), as reported by Opta statisticians.

Upcoming fixtures: Lens vs. Lyon, Nantes vs. Nice, Le Havre vs. Paris Saint-Germain, Brest vs. Clermont, Monaco vs. Montpellier, Lille vs. Metz, Marseille vs. Rennes, among others.

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