Karel Geraerts and Stade de Reims officially part ways

After the conclusion of the Ligue 2 season, Stade de Reims announced the end of their collaboration with Belgian coach Karel Geraerts in a very brief statement. Finishing 6th in Ligue 2 at the end of the 2025-26 season, the Reims club had decided the fate of their coach weeks before.

This development did not come as a surprise given the behind-the-scenes environment for several weeks and recent statements. However, as of Thursday, the situation has become official. Stade de Reims has officially parted ways with Karel Geraerts. Hired a year ago to lead the club’s promotion operation, the Belgian coach fit the playing style desired by the management. However, the expected results were not achieved, and the management was recently displeased with his handling of the team and matches, especially the substitutions.

This led both parties to quickly agree on ending their collaboration. “Stade de Reims and Karel Geraerts have decided, by mutual agreement, to end their partnership. At the end of the 2025-2026 season, and considering the expectations for this period, both parties have chosen not to continue the joint venture,” the club’s statement said. Karel Geraerts leaves behind a rather mixed record of his time in Champagne: 6th place in Ligue 2 (14 wins, 14 draws, 6 losses) despite some notable successes and several clean sheets, along with a spot in the Coupe de France quarter-finals.

His successor on the Reims bench should be announced in the coming hours. While Olivier Dall’Oglio was initially favored, the management’s choice may now lean towards Nicolas Usaï, according to several sources. The experienced Ligue 2 coach has been without a club since January, having previously worked with Nîmes, Châteauroux, and more recently Pau, as well as Sedan a few years ago. (Context: Stade de Reims made a coaching change after finishing 6th in Ligue 2. Fact Check: Karel Geraerts was the Belgian coach for the club.)