Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais have officially appointed former Manchester City assistant coach Carlos Vicens as their new manager. The announcement comes less than three weeks after the 43-year-old Spaniard was dismissed by Portuguese side Braga. Vicens arrives in France to succeed Paulo Fonseca, who ended his near two-year tenure last week after being approached by his boyhood club, Sporting Lisbon.
Vicens brings a notable pedigree from his eight years at Manchester City, where he began in 2017 as an academy youth coach before progressing to lead the Under-18s. In 2021, he stepped up to Pep Guardiola's senior backroom team as an assistant and set-piece specialist. During his four seasons working under Guardiola, Vicens contributed to an historic treble, two Premier League crowns, an FA Cup, and a Champions League title before departing last summer. He subsequently took his first senior managerial post at Braga, compiling a record of 41 wins, 19 draws, and 16 losses across 76 fixtures before being dismissed on October 20 with the team sitting eighth in Liga Portugal.
In an official statement addressing the appointment, Lyon outlined their desire to maintain long-term stability: "In its search for a new coach, Olympique Lyonnais had placed the continuity of its sporting project at the heart of its priorities. The management thus selected Carlos Vicens, whose approach to the game, high standards, and emphasis on player development perfectly align with the club's objectives." Vicens will be supported by a newly assembled backroom staff consisting of Mario Enguidanos, Lander Iza Garcia, Jordi Lie Fernandez, and Ramiro Marin.
Expressing his excitement on social media platform X, Vicens stated: "Happy and proud to be joining Lyon. Thank you to the club for your trust and to everyone for the warm welcome. Starting today, I’ll be getting to work with as much enthusiasm and ambition as possible. Can’t wait to experience my first match with our supporters." The newly appointed boss will lead training for the first time on Tuesday morning ahead of his managerial debut against Lille on Saturday, November 21, following the international break. Lyon currently occupy fifth place in Ligue 1 and rank 13th in the Europa League League Phase standings.
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