Guillaume Ravé, the quiet force behind Lens’s cup push and Toulouse reunion | OneFootball

Guillaume Ravé is the only member of RC Lens to have already won the Coupe de France, lifted with Toulouse in 2023, and he will face his former club in Tuesday’s semi-final at Bollaert-Delelis at 21:10. According to L'Équipe, the performance lead has kept an understated profile as Lens edge towards the Stade de France.

Lens and Toulouse have already sparred in Ligue 1, Lens winning 3-2 on Friday. Ravé has overseen performance at Lens since 2025.

Previously at Laval from 2007 to 2018 and Monaco from 2018 to 2020, he joined Toulouse in January 2020 and contributed to promotion in 2022 and the 2023 triumph over Nantes, 5-1. Then-coach Philippe Montanier recalls a remit to sustain performance and limit injuries, a demanding brief he felt Ravé handled superbly.

Before Friday’s game, Carles Martinez Novell embraced his former assistant from 2023 to 2025, crediting him with building valuable structures for staff, medical links and relationships with players. The Spaniard admitted Ravé’s exit was hard to accept, while welcoming how he has settled at Lens.

Lens head coach Pierre Sage said he canvassed the squad at the start of the cup run about prior winners and found very few. He added that Ravé offers no magic recipe, simply his usual management, and that the club remain delighted with his contribution for the long term.

Goalkeeper Robin Risser describes Ravé as precise and transparent day to day, rarely dwelling on 2023 and explaining clearly what is required. Among the squad, Masuaku, Edouard and Haidara have lifted domestic cups abroad, Adrien Thomasson won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2019, while beaten finalists include Ruben Aguilar in 2015 with Auxerre and 2021 with Monaco, Florian Thauvin with OM in 2016 and Sage with OL in 2024.

Source: L'Équipe