Lorient eye 2009-10 record as ex-players hope for centenary boost | OneFootball

Lorient’s 2-1 defeat of Lens has revived talk of matching the club’s 2009-10 seventh place. According to L'Équipe, the win keeps alive hopes of equalling, or even bettering, that target in the run-in.

Since the 11th matchday, their only loss came 0-2 at Brest on 7 February. Now ninth, they have eight games to chase the class of 2009-10 under Christian Gourcuff, who finished seventh, with Kevin Gameiro, Fabien Audard and Laurent Koscielny prominent.

He said safety is secured, they are playing with freedom and will aim for the best possible finish by stringing results together.

Former midfielder Sigamary Diarra praises their collective spirit and maturity, and believes coach Pantaloni has united a side that plays well. Yann Jouffre, the club’s record top-flight appearance maker with 202 games, sees a manageable run-in: Toulouse, Paris FC, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg, PSG, Metz and Le Havre. He would welcome them beating the old mark, especially for the centenary.

The gap to seventh is six points, with Rennes currently in that position.

In a streamlined 18-team Ligue 1, margins are tighter, which would make any repeat more striking. Early points dropped could still count against them.

Diarra says they may have lacked the star quality of a Gameiro or Koscielny to tilt games, while Jouffre does not yet see a future France international, a long-time Arsenal captain or a four-time Europa League winner in this group. Koscielny, sporting director since 2024, knows the formula and can pass it on.

Source: L'Équipe