Paris Saint-Germain sack Laurent Blanc as Unai Emery waits in the wings

 

Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed the departure of manager Laurent Blanc .

The Frenchman led the club to the Ligue 1 title last season, but that has not been enough to save his job due to their performance in the Champions League.

Les Parisiens fell 3-2 on aggregate to Manchester City, leading club president Nasser al-Khelaifi to declare their season as a “failure” earlier this month.

Unai Emery is expected to replace Blanc in the Parc des Princes hotseat.

The French champions are keen to make more of an impression in continental competition, and that is the primary reason for Blanc's demise.

President Al-Khelaifi had called for "a new cycle" at the French club and refused to back Blanc in an interview with Le Parisien, declaring: "Honestly, I think we failed this season despite trophies at a national level. We did not meet our European target, so it's a bad season.

"I've been here for five years and this is the first time we have had this sense of failure. It's not just the fact of having lost in the quarter-finals of the Champions League that makes me say that, it's how it happened.

"I am very disappointed. We were not mentally ready and we are all responsible. This elimination is the worst since I have been in Paris. It is very difficult to accept."

Blanc’s assistant Jean-Louis Gasset and fitness coach Philippe Lambert have also departed.