Cahuzac gets waiver to coach Lens in Champions against Sporting

An unusual day for Yannick Cahuzac, who will have to split his time between the coaching course at Clairefontaine and his Champions League debut on the bench of Lens, in tonight's match against Sporting CP.

Special exemption for the bench

The French coach is attending at Clairefontaine the course to obtain the Brevet d'Entraîneur Professionnel de Football (BEPF), the mandatory diploma to manage a team at the highest level. For this reason he would have had to spend the day at the federal technical centre.

A special exemption, however, allows him to be regularly on the bench tonight, in the second matchday of the Champions League group stage, against Sporting CP.

Cahuzac banks on three comebacks for his Champions League match

Cahuzac will follow remotely the morning session of the course, dedicated to mental preparation and self‑knowledge, before joining the team. “I will start early. At 8 I will be connected via video conference to follow the trainers’ presentations, but around 10:30‑11, when my players arrive, I will be fully focused on them,” he explained.

The 41‑year‑old, who succeeded Dino Toppmöller, is the first French manager to experience a day like this. “I approach everything calmly. I am focused on the team and the match plan. I will try to convey to the players all the possible motivation to play a great match,” he added.

Lens chase third straight win over Sporting in Champions League

After the European commitment is finished, Cahuzac will already return on Wednesday to Clairefontaine to continue the training programme.