On 5 July 2023, at the age of 37, Maciel left Lille to become head coach of Ligue 2 club Valenciennes, signing a two-year contract.[1] On his debut on 5 August, the team lost 4–1 at home to AJ Auxerre.[5] On 6 December 2023, with Valenciennes sitting last-place in the Ligue 2 table after just one victory in seventeen matches, Maciel was sacked.[6]
^"Jorge Maciel de saída do Valenciennes" [Jorge Maciel on his way out of Valenciennes] (in European Portuguese). A Bola. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
^"Jorge Maciel". Sofascore.com. Retrieved 30 September 2023.