Stade de Reims — overview around the 2016/17 season

• Club name: Stade de Reims (commonly referred to as Reims)
• Country: France
• Season focus: 2016/17
• Head coach in that period: Michel Der Zakarian

Context and performance (2016/17)

• During the 2016/17 season Reims competed in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football.
• Michel Der Zakarian was appointed head coach in May 2016, taking charge for the 2016/17 campaign.
• Under Der Zakarian, Reims finished the 2016/17 Ligue 2 season in 3rd place, qualifying for promotion playoffs (barrage).
• In the promotion playoff (two-legged tie) Reims faced Ligue 1’s 18th-placed team (Nancy or Troyes depending on format); the playoff ended with Reims winning promotion to Ligue 1 for the 2017/18 season.

Squad notes (selected)

• Key players around that season included Pablo Chavarria, Grzegorz Krychowiak (note: Krychowiak had joined earlier and moved on — squad composition changed), and several domestic Ligue 2 regulars. The squad blended experienced professionals and younger French talents.
• Reims’ home matches are played at Stade Auguste-Delaune (often called Stade Delaune).

Coach profile — Michel Der Zakarian (brief)

• Nationality: French (of Armenian descent)
• Coaching style: pragmatic, organization-focused, often getting strong defensive structure and effective set-piece play from his teams.
• Career note: Prior to Reims he coached clubs including Clermont and Nantes; after helping Reims gain promotion in 2016/17 he continued his managerial career in French football.

Summary

Michel Der Zakarian managed Stade de Reims in the 2016/17 season, leading them to a top-three finish in Ligue 2 and ultimately achieving promotion to Ligue 1 via the promotion playoff, restoring the club to France’s top flight for 2017/18.