rewrite this title Nice name Pantaloni as Puel’s replacement

Olivier Pantaloni has set out his desire to help Nice return to their former glory after being announced as the club’s new head coach. 

Pantaloni returns to Nice where he spent three years of his playing career in their youth set-up, and replaces Claude Puel in the dugout ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. 

The 59-year-old joins a Nice side who retained their Ligue 1 status by the skin of their teeth last season, after they won a relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne.

He was last in charge of Lorient, where he spent two years at the helm, with Pantaloni guiding them to a 10th-placed finish last term and just nine points off the European spots. 

Pantanoli won 39 of the 76 matches he oversaw for Lorient (D17 L20), averaging a win percentage of 51.3%, and he is relishing the next challenge of his managerial career. 

“It’s an immense source of pride for me to manage a club like OGC Nice,” Pantaloni told the club’s official website.

“I am delighted today to be returning to the south of France and to a club I know well, having played here for a time. I arrive in Nice with great humility but also great determination.

“I want to respect the club. I will instil the values that I hold dear: humility, hard work, respect, determination and ambition.

“It is up to us to live up to the supporters’ expectations and restore OGC Nice to its former glory.”

Olivier Pantaloni appointed coach of OGC Nice.

https://t.co/Ol9jUmAytS pic.twitter.com/RU7DOHczMT

— OGC Nice (@ogcnice_eng) June 17, 2026

Pantanoli was in the running to replace Pierre Sage at Lens, who has since made the switch to Crystal Palace, and arrives at Nice who are expecting changes this summer. 

They have already sold Jeremie Boga to Juventus after the Serie A giants made his loan move permanent, while Charles Vanhoutte is reportedly close to joining Feyenoord. 

Les Aiglons begin the new Ligue 1 season against Pantaloni’s former club Lorient on the weekend of August 22-23.