OGC Nice's survival in Ligue 1 came down to the final ten minutes of a nerve-shredding relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne. After a goalless first leg, the return leg exploded into life late on as Nice scored four times to overturn the tie and avoid a catastrophic drop to the second division. The dramatic 4-1 aggregate victory (0-0 away, 4-1 at home) kept the Côte d'Azur club in the top flight, but the mood was more relief than celebration.
The narrow escape capped a season that vice-president Maurice Cohen described as one never to be repeated. With the club's top-tier status hanging by a thread, the fallout will be swift and far-reaching. Inside the dressing room, players toasted the retiring Dante, a defensive stalwart who has called time on his playing career, marking the end of an era for les Aiglons.
Dante's retirement represents the first major departure in what promises to be a summer of upheaval. The 41-year-old Brazilian, a calm and commanding presence at the back, joined Nice in 2016 and made over 200 appearances, helping stabilize the club through multiple campaigns. His exit leaves a leadership void that will need filling as part of the rebuilding process.
"Let's never live through a season like that again," Cohen declared, raising a glass of champagne to staff and assembled media after the match. His words carried the weight of a man who had seen his beloved club flirt with disaster. The celebrations, though muted, were a collective exhalation after months of tension.
But Cohen quickly pivoted to the future, uttering words that will define the months ahead: "The hardest part begins now. We're going to wipe the slate clean, start with a blank page. We'll try to get back to the club it should always be." This statement signals an intention to overhaul the squad, the coaching setup, or both, with immediate effect.
The "blank page" reference suggests a reconceptualization of Nice's identity and strategy. In recent years, the club has oscillated between ambitious investments and inconsistent results, never quite recapturing the heights of its past. The new cycle, as Cohen described it, will demand a deep examination of what went wrong and a clear-eyed plan to restore the club's reputation.
While some players head off on vacation, others will travel to the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19. That tight turnaround means the club's pre-season preparations will be fragmented, with key personnel returning late and integrating into a potentially revamped squad. The timing adds another layer of complexity to the rebuilding effort.
The relegation scare exposes deeper structural issues at Nice. Once a consistent European qualifier, the club has been meandering in the mid-table and even flirted with the drop zone. The near-miss serves as a wake-up call for an ownership group that has invested significant funds without a coherent long-term vision.
For the supporters, the survival felt like a reprieve rather than a triumph. The Allianz Riviera breathed a long sigh of relief when the final whistle blew, but the fear of another such campaign will linger. Club legend Dante's send-off, while emotional, also underscored the need for fresh leadership on the pitch.
Cohen's vow to "retrouver le club qu'il doit toujours être" (get back to the club it should always be) implies a return to a sustainable model that blends youth development with smart recruitment. Whether that means a new manager, a clear-out of underperforming players, or a shift in philosophy remains to be seen.
As the players dispersed into the Mediterranean night, the champagne toasts felt less like a party and more like a pact. The real work, as Cohen insisted, is only just beginning. Nice's summer will be a litmus test of its ambition and ability to execute a successful transformation.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.