Coach Paulo Duarte has left Le Mans by mutual consent with the club currently second from bottom of Ligue 1.

The Portuguese was appointed in the summer and combined the role with his job of Burkina Faso manager. However, the team have won just two games all season and are six points from safety and with Duarte set to be absent for a month at the CAF African Nations Cup, president Henri Legarda has been forced to act.

The club said: "We couldn't, in our position, do without the presence and energy of the head coach of Le Mans for a whole month, even more so in January, a crucial month in the season."

Arnaud Cormier will take over until the end of the season with Laurent Peyrelade acting as his assistant.