Italian WC winner Grosso appointed as Lyon coach

Grosso returns to Lyon where he played as a left-back for two years, winning the Ligue 1 and French Cup double in 2008. The 45-year-old takes over the fallen French giants on a deal which runs until June 30th, 2024 with an option for an additional season, the club said.

Blanc left his post "by mutual agreement" on Monday after a 4-1 home defeat against Paris Saint-Germain. He took over in October 2022. Not counting interim coaches, Grosso is the fifth club manager since June 2019. Lyon finished seventh last season to miss out on European competition for the second year running.

Grosso was a key player in the Azzurri's World Cup triumph in Germany 17 years ago. He netted the opening goal in Italy's semi-final win over the tournament hosts and then the winning penalty against France in the final.