Jonathan Gradit played again at Le Mans in early September, then in Monaco. The 33-year-old centre-back had spent ten months out after a closed fracture of the tibia and fibula in his right leg in November 2025. \u201cThree months ago, I still did not know if I would be able to carry on with my career,\u201d he told RMC Sport. A contract termination was even mentioned. The turning point came this summer, after a conversation with sporting director Jean-Louis Leca and the backing of general manager Benjamin Parrot.<\/p>\n
On those ten months away from the pitch, he keeps it spare: \u201cVery complicated moments, a lot of loneliness. [\u2026] I had to fight my negative thoughts a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Appointed on 15 September, three days before the defeat in Monaco (1-2), Yannick Cahuzac has managed only one match. The international break handed him two and a half weeks of work before Lyon, enough to lay down his method: \u201cWe have started working on a few principles\u201d, runs L\u2019\u00c9quipe\u2019s headline.<\/p>\n
Gradit is not surprised to see him on the bench: \u201cFranck Haise used to ask Yannick Cahuzac for a lot of advice. That already showed he had that streak in him.\u201d His portrait of the coach: \u201cTactically, he is very sharp, he studies the opposition a lot.\u201d Olivier Pantaloni, who had him as his assistant at Lorient, adds: \u201ca coach who thinks things through enormously.\u201d The man himself sets the direction: \u201cI really want us to build our own identity, to focus on ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turning those principles into points is the next step. Lens sit 15th in Ligue 1, four points from five games, and host Lyon on Friday night, second on eleven points and still unbeaten. The market keeps Bollaert in front: 2.44 for Lens at 1xbet, roughly four wins in ten, the draw at 3.85 with Betano, Lyon at 2.92 with 1xbet, prices taken overnight from Thursday to Friday.<\/p>\n