Luka Elsner’s fate as Reims manager could be decided on Sunday | OneFootball

In the job for just over seven months, Luka Elsner’s status as manager of Stade de Reims may be in jeopardy this weekend.

The coach has seen his side drop points in eight successive Ligue 1 contests, and according to RMC Sport, failing to beat FC Nantes on Sunday could be the end of the line for him.

Heading into December, Les rouges et blanc were contending for a place in Europe, but their fate has changed dramatically since then.

After 19 matchdays in the French top-flight, the champagne club find themselves in 12th in the table with 22 points, eight fewer than they had at this stage last season. That has them just five points above Stade Rennais in the relegation play-off position. Their Sunday opponents at Stade Auguste-Delaune, La Maison Jaune are  just four points below them in the table.

Elsner’s side began 2025 with heavy defeats against AS Saint-Étienne (3-1) and OGC Nice (4-2) before eliminating AS Monaco from the Coupe de France on penalties. Their last two matches in the league were 1-1 draws with Le Havre AC and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.

With three matches remaining in the previous Ligue 1 season, Reims sacked Will Still before bringing along Elsner from Le Havre AC last June.

Before his hiring was made official, Reims had to undergo lengthy negotiations with the Normandy side to allow Elsner to become their new manager.

In 2022-23, Elsner was named the Ligue 2 Manager of the Year as Le Havre won the league with 75 points, suffering just three domestic defeats during that campaign.

GFFN | Joel Lefevre