'I'm fine, but I've just been sacked' - Laurent Blanc reveals shocking moment Johan Cruyff was fired by Barcelona just one hour after Dutch legend convinced Frenchman to sign for La Liga giants

Blanc opted to join Barcelona in 1996 after a stunning season with Auxerre convinced Ajax and Netherlands icon Cruyff to lure him to Catalunya. The Dutch coach convinced the Frenchman to sign a two-year contract, but the same day he found out that Cruyff had been let go and later called him to explain the development.

Blanc was an in-demand figure after winning the domestic double with Auxerre but Cruyff's persistence convinced him to snub all other offers for a move to Camp Nou. It did not go well, however, as after Cruyff was sacked, the defender suffered a few injuries and opted to leave after just one year with his eye on the 1998 World Cup, which he went on to win with France. The ex-Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon boss has now opened up on the bizarre day.

In an interview with SPORT, Blanc said: "My signing for Barcelona was paradoxical. I was free and I was going to play in England, for an English club. At one point, Mr. Cruyff called me, called my agent, and told me not to move. I wanted to meet him, I wanted to talk to him, and he wanted to convince me to come to Barcelona. So I said to myself, "I'm going to Barcelona and I'm signing." It's funny, I even had the contract. When I arrived in Barcelona, Johan told me: 'Okay, Laurent, you're going to sign for two years, and we're going to play like this. Tonight I'm going to take you to a restaurant, we're going to talk about how we're going to play'. An hour later, he was fired."

Blanc further added: "I was at the Hotel Juan Carlos I, and TV3 was only talking about Cruyff's departure. I was saying to myself: 'This must be a joke'. I couldn't believe it. A little while later, Johan called me and said: 'I won't be the coach. I'm fine, but I've just been sacked'."

Blanc went on to play for Marseille, Inter and Manchester United, where he won the Premier League, at club level while he claimed the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 titles with France. Now in charge of Saudi side Al-Ittihad and will be looking to build on the domestic double they won in his debut season.