RC Lens promoted Yannick Cahuzac from his role as assistant to replace Dino Toppmoller. L’Équipe understands that the Corsican has been relieved of his duties.

Cahuzac was already a part of Toppmoller’s backroom staff but took the reigns after divisions emerged. The promotion was questioned on account of Cahuzac’s friendship with sporting director Jean-Louis Leca.

It has been a poor stint for Olivier Pantaloni’s former assistant. He has won just three of his six games in Ligue 1. What did the damage was the three-game spell before the international break. A derby defeat to Lille OSC was followed up by a 9-1 loss to Como 1907 in the UEFA Champions League – the joint-heaviest defeat in the competition’s history – and now a loss to Olympique de Marseille.

Cahuzac has lost six of his nine matches in charge and has now been sacked by Les Sang et Or. To replace him, the French club have drawn up a three-man shortlist that includes Pierre Sage, who is hanging by a thread at Crystal Palace. Last season, he led the club to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and to a maiden Coupe de France title.