Nantes suffer first relegation to Ligue 2 in 13 years

Nantes have been relegated to Ligue 2 after a 1-0 defeat away to Lens, a result that mathematically ends their hopes of reaching the play-off spot. Les Canaries needed a victory to keep pressure on Auxerre, who were four points ahead before the penultimate round, but failure to collect three points confirmed their return to the second tier for the first time in thirteen years.

The eight-time French champions endured a miserable campaign, collecting only twenty-three points from five wins, eight draws and nineteen losses. Their goal record reflects the decline: twenty-nine scored and fifty-one conceded, producing a -22 goal difference. The instability extended to the bench, with three managers taking charge during the season: Luis Castro, dismissed in December, Ahmed Kantari, removed in March, and Vahid Halilhodzic.

For a club with Nantes’ history and tradition, the drop marks a painful setback and highlights the scale of the rebuilding task ahead.