Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage’s situation with the Premier League side remains uncertain, and that’s encouraged Lyon fans to hope for a return.
Oliver Glasner’s decision to step down at the end of last season forced the Eagles to react. Crystal Palace appointed the Frenchman as their manager, who arrived after impressing at RC Lens.
He spent over a year at Lyon and last season at Lens. In his only season with the latter, the coach helped them win the Coupe de France and qualify for the Champions League by finishing second.
Crystal Palace’s poor start this season
Pierre Sage has endured a difficult start to the season with the UEFA Conference League winners.
The London club have only two wins and six defeats after nine league matches. This has left them sitting 18th in the table, level on points with 17th placed Manchester United.
Last week, former France international Jérôme Rothen slammed and blamed the manager for the English club’s struggles. There have been rumours of Crystal Palace looking to cut ties with the 47-year-old.
That hasn’t happened yet, while there have been rumours of the Frenchman returning to Lyon immediately. Their current boss, Paulo Fonseca, is on the verge of joining Sporting, who parted ways with Rui Borges on Sunday.
Lyon’s stance on Crystal Palace manager
Pierre Sage was at the Ligue 1 side between November 2023 and January 2025. He managed 56 matches, and Lyon won 33 and drew nine of them.
Lyon fans have taken to social media, excited about the possibility of the former boss returning to the club. However, that dream isn’t in progress and Monday’s L’Equipe explains.
On Sunday, Paulo Fonseca was in tears after his side’s 2-0 win over Angers because he will leave the French club for Sporting. The latter’s efforts to hold on to him haven’t been successful.
Faced with Fonseca’s impending departure, Lyon are already looking at a few options. The newspaper states that this doesn’t include the Crystal Palace coach amid reports stating otherwise. At this stage anyway.
‘The [Lyon] sporting director [Matthieu Louis-Jean] must find a new coach who will not be Pierre Sage, still in charge at Crystal Palace and who has not been contacted.’
That should put an end to the possibility of Sage returning to his former club. Meanwhile, his future at Selhurst Park still seems to be uncertain.
Carlos Vicens is expected to take over at the French club instead.
