Claude Puel, who had been out of work for three years, is Nice's new coach and will remain in charge until the end of the current season, as announced by the club where Portuguese player Tiago Gouveia plays. Puel, aged 64, thus succeeds Franck Haise, fired last Sunday, and returns to Nice, where he had already been between 2012 and 2016. The French coach, champion with Monaco in 1999/2000, now finds Nice in 13th place in the championship, in a season that has been quite problematic not only on the pitch, but also off. This season, the emblem from the south of France has already experienced the worst record of consecutive defeats in its history, with nine, and the football team was even attacked by its own fans at the training center. Winger Tiago Gouveia arrived at the club this season, on loan from Benfica, and was used in 15 games. Puel, who had been out of work since 2021/22, when he left Saint-Étienne, will be officially presented this Monday at a press conference. The former Monaco midfielder also led Lille and Lyon and, outside of France, Southampton and Leicester. This season, Nice have already faced Benfica, in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, and with FC Porto and Sp. Braga, in the league phase of the Europa League, having always been defeated by the Portuguese. Claude Puel's debut will be in 2026, on January 3, against Strasbourg, in the 17th round of Ligue 1. 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝑷𝒖𝒆𝒍 back at OGC Nice ⤵︎ — OGC Nice (@ogcnice) December 29, 2025