Lyon axe Puel

Ligue 1 giants Lyon have announced the sacking of head coach Claude Puel, effective immediately.

Despite the fact that Lyon finished third in France last season, they finished 12 points behind title-winners Lille and failed to pick up a trophy for the third year in succession.

For a club like Lyon – who won seven successive Ligue 1 titles from 2001 to 2008 – the results were simply not good enough, leading to Puel’s departure.

“Lyon wishes to announce the departure of Claude Puel, who is no longer the head coach of the club as of today (Monday),” Lyon’s blunt statement said.

The sacking is expected to cost Lyon approximately 3.5 million pounds, with Remi Garde, Lyon’s current director of youth training, one of the favourites to take the job.