Lausanne sign world champion
Lausanne football club have added a World Cup winner to their squad after signing French reserve goalkeeper Lionel Charbonnier on a six month contract.
Charbonnier has been brought in to strengthen the side as Lausanne look to avoid relegation from Switzerland’s top division.
The 35-year-old goalie was a member of the French squad that lifted the World Cup in 1998 although Charbonnier himself was restricted to a standby role behind first choice keeper Fabien Barthez and regular number two Bernard Lama.
After spending ten years with French club Auxerre, Charbonnier joined Scottish side Glasgow Rangers after the World Cup. But six months into his stay in Scotland, the Frenchman picked up an injury which saw him lose his first team place to German keeper Stefan Klos.
If the past few months are anything to go by, Charbonnier will certainly have plenty to keep him occupied when he steps between the Lausanne goalposts.
The canton Vaud team were the second weakest in last year’s qualifying round with just four wins in 22 matches. To maintain their top division status the club now have to come through the springtime ‘promotion and relegation round’, made up of the bottom four clubs from the top division and the top four clubs from the B division.
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