For the first time, it was not a gift.
Laurent Blanc lost his first game on Wednesday at the head of Qatari club Al Rayyan at home against Al Sadd, the team coached by Spaniard Xavi Hernandez.
The players of Al Sadd, leaders of the Qatari championship, among whom we also find former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla, won (1-0) thanks to a goal from Baghdad Bounedjah (83rd).
At the end of this "Clasico du Qatar", the two star coaches gave each other a hug, they who wore the colors of FC Barcelona at different times, before being world champions, the French in 1998 and the 'Spaniard in 2010. The former coach of the France team was smiling, as he found a position on the bench of a team for the first time since his departure from PSG in 2016.
1st meeting between #blanc & #xavi in #Qatar before game in @QSL between @AlsaddSC v @AlrayyanSC pic.twitter.com/13HPc97pMk
- المعلق د.محمد السعدي (@ DRMOHDALSA3DI) December 23, 2020
"The sporting adventure interests me, the conditions interest me, but what may interest me the most is to see if with my staff we can put Al Rayyan in his place", said last week l ex-Bordeaux coach, 55, who surprised by signing up for the Qatari club in December.
Laurent Blanc signed for a year and a half for Al Rayyan, whose last national title dates back to 2016. The club remains frozen in sixth place after this defeat, while Al Sadd consolidates his position as leader of the championship.