Ahead of Lille's initial derby clash with Lens, Florian Thauvin had yet to be pardoned by his former team
In a surprising turn of events, Florian Thauvin's return to Ligue 1 with RC Lens has reignited memories of his controversial spell at LOSC Lille. The French international, who was bought by Lille in January 2013 for €3.5 million, spent a brief yet eventful 215 days at the club before his departure.
Thauvin's arrival was marked by a brawl upon his first match in Lille, a tumultuous encounter with Marseille (OM) that set the tone for his time at the club. The situation quickly escalated, with Thauvin going on strike during training sessions due to his dissatisfaction.
The disputes between Thauvin and Lille reached a peak during a press conference at the U20 World Cup in Turkey, where he publicly criticised the club. These controversies were described as a "soap opera" by then Lille coach René Girard.
Despite the turbulence, Thauvin was awarded the UNFP trophy for the best Ligue 1 hope during his time at Lille. However, his contract lasted only a handful of training sessions and no matches. Lille managed to sell him to OM for a significant financial gain of 13 M€ and 2 M€ in bonuses in the last hours of the transfer market.
Thauvin's departure was marked by ego battles and controversy, with another Lille player, Florent Balmont, later commenting that it did not improve the image of footballers. The situation annoyed his teammates, with Thauvin remaining distant from the locker room after a training session on August 5.
However, Thauvin has no grudge left regarding his past controversies with LOSC. In fact, he expressed his disappointment with Rudi Garcia's departure and Lille's failure to qualify for a European Cup after the U20 World Cup in mid-July 2013.
His meeting with LOSC's sporting director, Frédéric Paquet, to negotiate a pay raise upon his return from the World Cup was reportedly poorly received. This incident, along with his past controversies, has rekindled tension among LOSC fans with his signing with RC Lens.
As Thauvin trains with his new team, the memories of his tumultuous tenure at LOSC Lille remain fresh, serving as a reminder of the complexities and unpredictability of the beautiful game.
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