Rennes appoint ex-Chile boss Sampaoli as new coach

Stade Rennais have named former Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli as their new coach to replace Frenchman Julien Stephan on a contract until 2026, the Ligue 1 club said.

Rennes sacked Stephan on Thursday after they won just three of their first 10 league games of the season. They were then beaten 2-0 at home by Toulouse on Sunday under caretaker Sebastien Tambouret.

Argentine Sampaoli coached Chile between 2012-2016, winning the Copa America in 2015 and was named South American Coach of the Year that same year.

The 64-year-old has coached a host of high-profile teams including Sevilla, Olympique de Marseille and the Argentina national side. His latest stint came at Brazil's Flamengo.

He is back! Jorge Sampaoli is the new Rennes manager 🇦🇷🔴⚫ pic.twitter.com/QSRxurwsY8

— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) November 11, 2024

"Jorge and his staff have a clear vision of how a group should be structured, and the entire sports management team shares the same analysis of what we need to put in place," CEO Arnaud Pouille said in a statement.

"A taste for hard work, a demand for effort, loyalty and respect for people and the institution."

Rennes are 13th in the league with 11 points from 11 matches and next visit fourth-placed Lille on November 24.