Football Season Guide

One of France's most famous clubs, six-time champions and former European Cup finalists Stade de Reims are back in the second tier after a four-season stint in Ligue 1 ended with relegation in the spring. The Champagne outfit were sent down on the final day of the campaign after the sacking of Olivier Guegan during the run-in failed to have the desired effect. David Guion was the interim boss in the closing weeks of the season and Reims have since moved to appoint Michel Der Zakarian as their new permanent coach. Der Zakarian arrives after a successful four-year stint at Nantes, during which time he led Les Canaris to promotion to Ligue 1 and consolidated them there. He previously worked in the second tier with Clermont and the hope at the Stade Auguste-Delaune is that his experience at this level can help turn Reims into promotion challengers right away. Der Zakarian, who has signed a two-year deal, has seen a number of key defenders depart, with Aissa Mandi moving to Spanish side Betis and left-back Franck Signorino staying in Ligue 1 with Metz. But Reims have moved to sign players with experience of this level, adding centre-back Julian Jeanvier from Lille after he impressed on loan at Red Star last season. Left-back Samuel Bouhours joins from Tours, while Reims beat off competition to sign Red Star captain Danilson Da Cruz and have also picked up midfielder Gregory Berthier from Auxerre and Argentine attacking midfielder Pablo Chavarria from Lens.