While OGC Nice concluded its 2024 year in the championship last Sunday in Montpellier, it is time to take stock. Ranking, points, attack, scorers, playing time… here is what you need to remember from the Aiglons’ first part of the season in Ligue 1.
Held in check (2-2) on the Mosson lawn on Sunday afternoon, OGC Nice finished with Ligue 1 for the year 2024, the weekend of December 21-22 being reserved for the 32nd of final of the Coupe de France, where the Gym will challenge Corte. If the Aiglons are still missing two games before reaching the halfway point in the league (against Rennes on January 3 and Reims on the weekend of the 12th)the first 15 days of the season were rich in lessons.
The gym is sixth
It is at the sixth place of the ranking that the Aiglons completed their year 2024 in Ligue 1. Authors of a successful first part of the exercise in the championship, with six wins for six draws and only three defeatsFranck Haise’s men count 24 units on the clock and are in the fight for European places. Indeed, the Gym is three points from fourth, Lille, and six points from second, Marseille.
A popular attack
If the Gym was driven last year by its impervious defense, it is its attack that allows it to achieve results this season. Indeed, the Rouge et Noir reached the winter break with a total of 28 goals scored in 15 matches played. For comparison, during the 2023-24 financial year, Evann Guessand and his partners had scored 16 times at the same stage of the season.
This is the second best performance successful by OGC Nice in the 21st century. Franck Haise’s group scored more goals in as many matches played than Lucien Favre’s men during the historic 2016-17 season (27). They are only ahead of the Gym of Claude Puel version 2015-2016 and its 30 registered achievements.
This offensive strength allows the Aiglons to rank in third position in the ranking of attacks in Ligue 1, sandwiched between Olympique Lyonnais (27 goals) and Olympique de Marseille (32 goals).
Proof that danger can come from anywhere in Nice, no less than 14 different scorers stood out. Except for PSG, which has the same number of directors, no one is doing better for the moment in France.
On the defensive level, Franck Haise’s men conceded 19 goals in 15 matches of Ligue 1 and form the 8th defense of the elite at the end of 2024. Marcin Bulka, Moïse Bombito, Dante and all the others managed to return three clean sheets, against Saint-Etienne (J5, 8-0), in Lens (J6, 0-0) and Brest (J10, 0-1).
The fortress of the Allianz Riviera
Another marker of this start to the season: the solidity of the Rouge et Noir in their lair. With Paris Saint-Germain, OGC Nice is the only elite team still undefeated at home in 2024-25. Indeed, the Aiglons played seven matches at the Allianz Riviera and won four (Saint-Étienne, Monaco, Strasbourg, Le Havre) for three draws (Toulouse, Paris and Lille).
The last setback conceded at home by the Azuréens dates back to last season and the arrival of PSG, victorious with a score of 2-1 on May 15, 2024.
GUESSAND TOP SCORER
On an individual level, many of the Aiglons have distinguished themselves in this first part of the season. If they are fourteen to have found the net, one of them did it more than the others: Evann Guessand. Centerpiece of Franck Haise’s system, the attacker trained at the Gym scored 6 goals in 15 matches of Ligue 1. Author of a double against SCO Angers on September 1 (J3, 1-4), the Ivorian international also hit the mark against Saint-Étienne (J5, 8-0) before scoring in three matches consecutive: in Nantes (J8, 1-1), against Monaco (J9, 2-1) and in Brest (J10, 0-1).
The Nice trigger is closely followed by Sofiane Diopto be credited with three goals in just four starts in the elite and by Gaëtan Labordedecisive scorer against Monaco in particular. Mohamed-Ali Cho, Youssoufa Moukoko and Badredine Bouanani complete the podium (2 goals).
The ranking of Nice scorers in Ligue 1:
Evann Guessand (6 goals)
Sofiane Diop, Gaëtan Laborde (3 goals)
Mohamed-Ali Cho, Youssoufa Moukoko, Badredine Bouanani (2 buts)
Jonathan Clauss, Youssouf Ndayishimiye, Hicham Boudaoui, Tanguy Ndombele, Pablo Rosario, Ali Abdi, Tom Louchet, Melvin Bard (1 goal)
Clauss best passer
Landed on the Côte d’Azur last summer, Jonathan Clauss quickly established itself as an essential link for Franck Haise. Particularly comfortable in his role as right piston which he had already occupied under the orders of the Nice technician in Lens, between 2020 and 2022, the 32-year-old defender has not tarnished his reputation since his arrival: that of a player attracted forward and particularly decisive offensively. With three offerings deliveredthe international tricolor ends the year 2024 as the best passer in the Gym. Youssouf Ndayishimiye in Angers, Youssoufa Moukoko against Saint-Étienne and Sofiane Diop against Lille benefited from his assists.
Note the presence ofAli Abdi, another summer recruit, on the second step of the podium, tied with Gaëtan Laborde, Sofiane Diop and Evann Guessand.
The ranking of Nice smugglers:
Jonathan Clauss (3 passes)
Gaëtan Laborde, Sofiane Diop, Ali Abdi, Evann Guessand (2 assists)
Tanguy Ndombele, Mohamed-Ali Cho, Hicham Boudaoui, Pablo Rosario (1 assist)
Guessand irremovable, four pichoui launched IN L1
At the end of 2024, Franck Haise called on 27 elements different in the championship. The only one to have played all fifteen matches and 1350 minutes offered in Ligue 1 is obviously Marcin Bulkathe Gym doorman. As for the outfield players, Evann Guessand et Pablo Rosario also participated in all the matches of this first part of the season. The top scorer from Nice displayed his power and speed on the pitches of France for 1297 minutes, while his Dutch friend, wearing the captain’s armband replacing Dante and Youssouf Ndayishimiye, completes the podium with 1148 minutes in total.
Only other Aiglon to have exceeded 1000 minutes in Ligue 1: Moïse Bombitoarrived on the Côte d’Azur this summer from the United States. The Canadian international played 13 matches and participated in 1145 minutes.
Among the young players, four players from the OGC Nice training center made their debut in the elite of French football during this first part of the season: Yaël Nandjou (155 minutes), Amidou Doumbouya (44 minutes), Victor Orakpo (32 minutes) and Issiaga Camara (16 minutes). Farès Bousnina and Laurenzo Monteiro, for their part, enjoyed a few minutes in the European Cup, on the pitch at the Roi Baudouin stadium, and Iliesse Salhi at the Allianz Riviera against Rangers.
+2 points for the little game of comparisons
From one season to another, it is complex to compare passage times. Because the adversaries faced as well as the location of the confrontation differ, the photo is not easy.
One way to do this is to take the 15 matches played in 2024-25 and observe the result obtained by the Aiglons against the same teams and in the same home or away configuration in 2023-24. For example, the Rouge et Noir emerged victorious from their trip to Brest, where they returned with a draw last season. They defeated Monaco at the Allianz Riviera (2-1) after falling in 23-24 (2-3), they held PSG in check (1-1, after conceding defeat last May 1-2) or shared the points against Toulouse (1-1) in August while they won by a short header during the Nice-TFC of the previous year (1-0).
Put end to end, the figures suggest a surplus of 2 points for Franck Haise’s squad (18 against 16, if we focus only on the teams present in L1 in 23-24 as in 24-25). If we replace the relegated by the promoted, the results are also positive (24 points against 23).
Hugo Rondet
