Monaco’s Philippe Clement unsurprised by high-flying Lorient | OneFootball

Speaking ahead of AS Monaco’s match against FC Lorient, manager Philippe Clement has said that he isn’t surprised by the level shown by Les Merlus this season.

Lorient are regarded by many as being the surprise package of the Ligue 1 season so far. With four teams facing the drop this season, Régis Le Bris’ side were heavily tipped for relegation, but have defied expectations, are currently sixth in Ligue 1, and are well in contention for the European places.

Coming up against fifth-place Monaco at the Stade du Moustoir on Wednesday, Lorient have the chance to leapfrog the Principality club into the final European spot. Reacting to Les Merlus season, Clement has said that he hasn’t been surprised by their level, revealing that he had the chance to watch Terem Moffi (23), who has 10 Ligue 1 goals this season, up close during his time as Club Brugge manager. The Belgian head coach as revealed that his former club had an interest in Enzo Le Fée (22) during his time in charge of Club Brugge.

“I can’t say that it is a big surprise. I already saw very good things from them last year. I have known Moffi for a long time because he was playing in Belgium before moving to Lorient. He quickly made a big impact there with KV Kortrijk,” Clement told Get French Football News’ Luke Entwistle.

“Le Fée is also a player that was also on Club Brugge’s radar when I was there. He is also a young player that is progressing every year. It is a team that have taken their moments in lots of matches. With their pace in transition, they can be dangerous against every team. They are a competitor for the European places,” he continued.