Struggling Metz appoint Tavenot after sacking Le Mignan

Ligue 1 strugglers Metz on Tuesday sacked coach Stephane Le Mignan and replaced him with Benoit Tavenot.

The club said in a statement that Le Mignan, who took over in the summer of 2024 after the club was relegated, had been "relieved of his duties".

Tavenot was an assistant coach at the club from 2019 to 2022.

Le Mignan led Metz back to Ligue 1 in the summer of 2025. 

But the club are having a disastrous season. They sit bottom of the table with 12 points from 18 games after three wins, three draws, 12 defeats.

Metz started the season with three consecutive losses, and did not win until matchday 10 in late October, when they beat Lens, who have since climbed to the top of the table, 2-0.

That heralded a brief upturn, but Metz have not won in six league games and are bottom on goal difference behind Auxerre. 

Metz are two points behind Nantes, who occupy the relegation playoff spot, and six behind Nice in the 15th, a position that guarantees survival.

What ultimately cost Le Mignan his job was the attitude of his players, particularly in a 4-0 French Cup loss to Ligue 2 Montpellier on January 11.

They then lost 2-1 on January 18 to Strasbourg.

Metz host fourth-placed Lyon on Sunday.