Lorient's Pantaloni and Cahuzac set to leave as contracts expire
FC Lorient manager Olivier Pantaloni and his assistant Yannick Cahuzac are expected to leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of the season, according to a report from Ouest-France. The Breton club had hoped to secure extensions for the Corsican duo, particularly with the club celebrating its centenary this year, but negotiations have stalled since last February and no new talks have been scheduled.
The report states that Pantaloni, who initially arrived at the club in 2024 during the tenure of former manager Régis Le Bris, had been awaiting fresh discussions from the club's hierarchy, led by president Loïc Féry. Cahuzac, the former AC Ajaccio coach, joined his compatriot at the Moustoir in June of the same year. Together, they have been credited with revitalizing the team, securing a swift promotion from Ligue 2 and establishing the side as a competitive force in the top half of the Ligue 1 table this season.
Their impending departures mark a potential end to a successful chapter for Les Merlus. The pair's work has been widely praised for re-energizing the club and its fanbase, making their likely exit a significant point of discussion ahead of the summer. The club's centenary celebrations, which included a major event this past weekend, now coincide with this period of managerial uncertainty.
The situation adds to a backdrop of notable absences at the club's anniversary festivities, with legendary former manager Christian Gourcuff also reportedly boycotting the centenary events. The search for a new sporting director is also understood to be underway, indicating a period of potential restructuring behind the scenes at the Stade du Moustoir.
For Pantaloni and Cahuzac, their next moves remain unclear, but their stock is high following a successful rescue mission and immediate promotion. For Lorient, the focus will shift to identifying a successor capable of building on the solid foundation laid this season and maintaining the club's top-flight status. The coming weeks will be crucial for president Féry to define the club's sporting direction ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
