After a disappointing last season, Stade de Reims are beginning a new chapter with Spanish coach Oscar Garcia. Without 14-goal striker Boulaye Dia, who left for Villarreal, the Catalan technician will look to the youngsters to secure top-flight survival and aim for a more attractive playing style.

'Think about the future and be ambitious'

Even though the reign of Garcia's predecessor David Guion ended with a 14th-placed finish, it was punctuated by the Ligue 2 BKT title in 2018 and a qualification for the Europa League in 2020. Big shoes for the Spanish coach to fill?

"Stade de Reims is a historic club - two-time European Cup finalists and six-time Champions of France - but all that is the past," said Garcia during his presentation to the press in late June. "We have to think about the future and be ambitious."

Pedigree

A product of the Barcelona youth system, the former attacking midfielder won four Spanish league titles (1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999) with the Catalan giants, but is yet enjoy the same success as a coach. Nonetheless, his time at Red Bull Salzburg (Austrian D1) will be remembered for consecutive league and cup doubles in 2016 and 2017.

Since then, he has had mixed experiences, with two quick stints at Saint-Etienne and Olympiakos (Greek D1) and a successful rescue operation at Celta Vigo (Spanish D1). At Reims, the Catalan will aim to maintain his position, but also to improve his players and his game.

"I learned my way of playing in Barcelona and I implemented it in Salzburg," Garcia, who has fine-tuned a system with three defenders in pre-season matches, told AFP. "We don't have the same squad as Barcelona, but we'll try to play the same way, even if it won't be the same."

'The Barcelona touch'

"From the first training sessions, we saw the Barcelona touch," Reims captain Yunis Abdelhamid (33) told AFP. "We do a lot of possession games, in small spaces. Every day, we also play toros, with a lot of intensity, which is different from previous years. We work hard, with and without the ball."

But a new style doesn't necessarily mean new players. The Reims squad could remain relatively stable, despite 14-goal Dia's departure. Garcia will therefore have to adapt and improve his group.

Waiting in the wings...

"I like to develop young players, I did it all my career and I know that here, there is a very good level of training," said the coach, who did his homework before meeting his players, even identifying a potential replacement for Dia. "Before arriving, I saw all their games, even the players on loan. Up front, we have El Bilal Toure, Kaj (Sierhuis), Fraser (Hornby), Hugo (Ekitike)... They will have to do a lot more than last year, but I believe strongly in them."

Young centre-forward Hugo Ekitike (19) has already scored four goals in pre-season, while winger Billal Brahimi, back from a successful loan at Le Mans (N1), and midfielder Ilan Kebbal, successful last season with USL Dunkerque (Ligue 2 BKT), will also have their chance.