Champions League Coach, Who Beat PSG, Departs After Just Six Matches

After just six matches at the helm of Lens, Dino Toppmöller is reportedly on the verge of being dismissed. According to the German publication "Bild," the reason for the parting of ways isn't the team's inconsistent results, but rather the coach's disagreement with the removal of his assistant, Nélson Morgado.

The German specialist arrived in the summer with the challenging task of succeeding Pierre Sage, under whom the team finished second in Ligue 1 and won the French Cup in the 2025/26 season. Now, however, Toppmöller is set to be sacked, a development initially reported by "L'Équipe" and subsequently confirmed by "RMC Sport."

The separation appears sudden and unexpected. Despite an unconvincing start to the league campaign (one win, one draw, and two losses), Lens secured the French Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain and kicked off their Champions League campaign with a dramatic 3-2 away victory over Slavia Prague, even in the absence of several key players.

However, according to "Bild," the reason for the dismissal is not performance-related. The German media outlet reveals that on Monday, the club's management informed the coach of their decision to release his closest associate and assistant, Nélson Morgado. It is claimed that the 39-year-old Portuguese, with whom Toppmöller has worked since 2017, "had annoyed some people at the club, especially the French members of the coaching staff." The reason: "He demanded more dedication and passion from them, which was not well received and ultimately cost him his position."

Dino Toppmöller, however, did not accept this decision. The former Eintracht Frankfurt coach, who also served as an assistant at Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, vehemently opposed his assistant's dismissal, viewing it as a direct interference in his responsibilities. Faced with the reaction of the 45-year-old manager, who described the situation as "extremely unusual and unacceptable, demonstrating loyalty to Morgado," the club made the final decision to part ways with Toppmöller himself.