Ligue 1 strugglers Reims sack coach Elsner

Luka Elsner has been sacked as coach of Ligue 1 strugglers Reims, the French club announced on Monday.

The 42-year-old Slovenian had already been under serious pressure before Sunday's 2-1 defeat at home to Nantes, which left Reims 13th in the French top flight.

The club from Champagne country are just four points clear of Saint-Etienne in the relegation play-off place having gone nine league matches without a win.

They have won just once in 13 Ligue 1 outings since early October.

Elsner had only been appointed last June on a two-year deal, after a successful spell in charge of Le Havre, a club he brought up to the top flight and then kept there.

"Stade de Reims and Luka Elsner have decided to end their collaboration with immediate effect. The club wishes to thank the Slovenian coach for his commitment to the job over the last seven months," Reims said in a statement.

He has been replaced by assistant coach Samba Diawara, who previously had a brief spell in charge of the team at the end of last season after the departure of previous coach Will Still.