Abdel Bouhazama has left Angers after a series of poor results and a row triggered by inappropriate comments made by the head coach, the Ligue 1 club said on Tuesday.

Bouhazama appeared to downplay sexual assault in his prematch team talk before a 5-0 defeat by Montpellier last weekend.

"It's not that serious, we have all touched girls," the head coach told his players to justify the presence of Ilyes Chetti in Angers' starting lineup.

Chetti has been charged for sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub last month.

In a club statement released on Tuesday, Angers said the manager had already planned to step down due to a poor run of form before his comments.