OGC Nice have opted for decisive change as they attempt to halt a damaging run of results, a move that could reshape the club environment awaiting Algerian midfielder Hicham Boudaoui after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Before leaving France to join Algeria’s AFCON campaign in Morocco, Boudaoui endured a difficult spell on the Côte d’Azur.
His form dipped alongside that of the team, and confidence drained from a squad trapped in a prolonged crisis.
Nice entered the winter period on a run of nine straight defeats in all competitions, a sequence that intensified pressure on players, staff, and the club’s wider sporting project.
That negative momentum placed Boudaoui in an uncomfortable position. The midfielder struggled to influence matches as he had done earlier in the season, while collective issues prevented Nice from regaining balance or consistency. Questions mounted around leadership, direction, and tactical clarity.
In Boudaoui’s absence, events moved quickly. Nice finally rediscovered a winning feeling in the Coupe de France with a victory over Ligue 2 side Saint-Étienne, a result that secured qualification for the round of 32 and offered a brief release from weeks of frustration. That win, however, only marked the beginning of wider changes.
The club confirmed the return of Jean-Pierre Rivère as president, restoring a familiar figure at the helm. Soon after, the board chose to act on the technical bench.
Nice announced the departure of Franck Haise by mutual agreement, bringing an end to a short and turbulent chapter.
Within hours, the club unveiled his successor: Claude Puel, who returns for another spell in charge of Le Gym.
Puel arrives with a clear mission. He must stabilise results, rebuild confidence, and give the squad a clearer identity before the season slips further away.
His experience, including a notable period at Leicester City where he worked with Riyad Mahrez, carries weight in a dressing room in need of direction.
For Boudaoui, still competing at AFCON with Algeria after the Fennecs reached the round of 16, the landscape at club level has shifted.
A new coach offers a chance to reset, reclaim momentum, and re-establish himself as a central figure in Nice’s midfield once he returns to France.
𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝑷𝒖𝒆𝒍 de retour à l’OGC Nice ⤵︎
— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) December 29, 2025
