Rudi Garcia is the new coach of Olympique Lyonnais, the club have confirmed.
Lyon had been on the lookout for a new coach after parting company with Sylvinho in the wake of their derby defeat against AS Saint-Etienne on October 6, a result which left them in 14th place in the Ligue 1 Conforama table and above the bottom three only on goal difference.
Garcia was available after leaving Lyon's rivals Olympique de Marseille at the end of last season. Lyon will be the sixth French club at which he has been coach - he started his career at Saint-Etienne. OL did not reveal the length of the deal Garcia, 55, has signed.
"I chose Rudi Garcia because he is a fighter who has, like us, the ambition to win titles and succeed in Europe," Lyon sporting director Juninho said in a statement on the club's website.
'Connection'
"He is an experienced coach who has already won trophies. In all the interviews I conducted, I got a real football connection with him. We speak the same language in terms of tactics and how the game is played."
Garcia, who has also coached AS Roma in Italy and won the double with LOSC in the 2010-11 season, will be officially unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday morning before his first game in charge on Saturday at the Groupama Stadium against Dijon FCO, another of his old sides.
OL have won just one of their last nine games in all competitions and have taken only three points from the last 21 available in the league.
