Regragui emerges as Lens shortlist option after Champions League collapse

Walid Regragui has emerged as a leading candidate to become the new head coach of French club Lens following the dismissal of Yannick Cahuzac.

Cahuzac was removed from his position after a poor run of results, with particular pressure following Lens’ 9-1 home defeat by Italian side Como in the Champions League.

French transfer specialist Santi Aouna reported on X that Regragui and Pierre Sage are currently at the top of Lens’ list of potential replacements.

Sage remains the club’s preferred choice, according to Aouna, but Regragui’s position has strengthened in recent weeks. His coaching experience, familiarity with French football and record of achievement are understood to have increased his appeal.

Regragui has already met Lens officials to discuss the possibility of taking charge, although the club has yet to make a final decision.

Lens are enduring a difficult 2026-27 campaign. They sit 11th in Ligue 1 with 13 points from 10 matches, having recorded four wins and one draw alongside five defeats.

The team have scored 17 goals and conceded 15, a return that has failed to satisfy either the club’s management or supporters.

Their European campaign has also been disappointing. Lens are 33rd in the Champions League league phase with three points after winning once and losing three of their opening four matches.

The heavy defeat by Como intensified the scrutiny on the coaching staff, hastened Cahuzac’s departure and prompted the Lens hierarchy to search for a manager capable of restoring the team’s direction in domestic and European competition.

Regragui, 50, began one of the most significant phases of his coaching career with FUS Rabat in 2014. He built a strong, organised side and led the club to the Moroccan league title in 2016, securing the first top-flight championship in its history.

After further coaching spells, he was appointed Morocco manager in August 2022, only a few months before the World Cup in Qatar.

His most notable achievement came when he guided the Atlas Lions to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. He became the first manager to lead an Arab or African national team to that stage of the tournament.

Under Regragui, Morocco also rose to eighth in the world rankings and reached the top of the African standings. The team won 36 of 49 matches during his tenure, suffering only five defeats.

Although he left his role as Morocco manager in March 2026, months before the World Cup, Regragui remains highly regarded in his home country because of the historic run achieved with the Atlas Lions.

A move to Lens could offer him a return to European club management. The French club must now choose between Regragui and Sage as it seeks to regain stability and improve its position in both domestic and continental competitions.