One - the most beautiful of all - was born in 1904. The other - the most noble of all - in 1917. Both have been in love for a century, a love that is sometimes overwhelming, sometimes platonic and sometimes frustrating. Between OGC Nice and the Coupe de France, the past is full of stories as much as the present of promises. Here are some of these stories.

52 je t’aime

For superstition's sake, we will begin this journey through time with a final destination. After defeats in the Coupe de France semi-finals against Club Français in 1931 (6-1), Roubaix in 1932 (3-0) and RC Paris in 1945 (2-1), the Red and Blacks ignored fate in 1952. A year earlier, Yeso, Pancho and the gang had written the first line of the club's record of achievements, becoming French champions. In 1951-52, their performances took on an extra sparkle.

The match was played at the Velodrome between Nice and FC Rouen. Georges Césari - the Marseillais – scored a brace, before Pär Uno Bengtsson added another. A Normandy goal made no difference and the Gym went to the final. The first in its history, and one that it will never be forgotten. 

Leaders of the first division, Numa Andoire's players took on the team in second in Colombes: Bordeaux. After an early goal from Nurenberg, the game exploded into life, something rarely seen in a final with such high stakes. The two clubs gave each other a run for their money, but the Gym ended up winning (5-3). Behind the great Vic', Carniglia, Belver, Ben Tifour and Césari got on the scoresheet.

Two weeks later, the Gym achieved the double and managed to retain the league title, one point ahead of Bordeaux. No club had done this since the beginning of the professional championship in 1932. 52 je t'aime.

54 NEXT 

Eliminated in the quarterfinals against Lille the following year, the Gym came back for the cup in 1954. In the spring, it challenged Troyes - leader of the D2 - in the semi-final, and found itself chasing the game after a goal by Georges Césari, who had left for the Aube in the summer of 1953. With George James Berry now the coach, the group responded on the hour mark. Abderahmane Mahjoub (1-1, 61') and Luis Antonio Carniglia (2-1; 69') turned the deficit into a lead (2-1). No more goals were scored and, once again, the red and black squad travelled to Colombes, where a Mediterranean final against Marseille awaited them.

What happened next? A goal from Nurenberg (1-0, 6') - again -, one from Carniglia (2-0, 11'), Anderson's response (2-1, 55') and a final game that is being played on repeat in the Café des Aiglons, 70 years later. Pancho Gonzalez's bicycle kick to save a Scotto shot on the line; then Carniglia's header to clear a Palluch effort from a corner. All of this two minutes before the final whistle and a second victory in the Coupe de France.

20 YEARS OF DROUGHT

After this second title, the Aiglons participated, without success, in two other semi-finals in the 1950's. They did not have the same success and were knocked out by Bordeaux (3-2 in 1955) and Toulouse (3-2, 1957). The fans had to wait 20 years for another run in the Coupe de France. However, this came with disappointment. Beaten by Reims in a two-legged game in 1976-77 (1-2, 0-1), the Nice team overcame Monaco a year later, at the same stage of the competition (1-0, 1-1). This sent them to the Parc des Princes, where they were beaten by the Nancy of Michel Platini, who scored the only goal of the evening (1-0). A cruel

 blow for a generation of giants (Baratelli, Katalinski, Guillou, Jouve, Huck, Bjeko').

Winner of the competition and starter with ASNL in the final, Olivier Rouyer has not forgotten anything 45 years later, with him declaring that "Nice can't win the Cup". Here we are in 2022, with Nice - Versailles on the horizon.

SOCHAUX PUNISH LE GYM

A decade after Nancy, Nice's heart bleeds again. The difference is that the pain comes before a final, in a semi that marked a generation. In the wrong way. Going into the double header against Sochaux, leader of D2, the Gym seems to be the favourite.

The club had just beaten Monaco (future French champion) in the round of 16, Toulouse in the last 8 and LOSC in the quarter-final. A strong team led by Amitrano, Marsiglia, Oleksiak, Djelmas and Bocandé won the first round at the Ray on May 31. After dominating, they eventually broke the deadlock, and even thought they had killed the game when they scored a third goal... which was then chalked off. Instead, the lead was then reduced in the 88' minute, when Franck Sylvestre scored to make it 2-1.

 

The Gym, coached by the legend Nenad Bjekovic,  were punished in the return match. On June 8, at Bonal, Franck Sauzée and Stéphane Paille scored in a 2-0 win. The red and black hearts burnt with regret.

PRAYERS IN LAVAL

Since 1997, the semi-finals are no longer played over two legs. Nice take advantage of this. Playing poorly in the league (in last place before relegation at the end of the season), the Coupe de France is the breath of fresh air needed for the Gym. On April 20, Fred Gioria and his band travel to Mayenne, to challenge a D2 team. What happened next felt like an exorcism. André Boïs even went to Laval Cathedral to pray before the match. In front of the Holy Virgin, the president sees a stone eagle. He saw it as a good omen. Thierry de Neef proved that maybe this was a message from the heavens. In the 33rd minute, the midfielder with number 8 on his back follows a move from Kubica. The ball comes to him on the edge of the box. He controls perfectly and with a sumptuous half-volley, sends the Niçois to the Parc des Princes.

The rest is history. History that is made on May 10, 1997, when Nice beats Guingamp to lift the trophy. The rest has been told a thousand times, like a fairy tale, where Bruno Valencony and Arjan Vermeulen provide the final waves of the magic wand. All square after 120 minutes (1-1, goals by Salimi and Laspalles), the two teams went to penalties. The Nice goalkeeper saved the attempts of Stéphane Carnot and Coco Michel. The Dutchman, with a clear head, did not falter during the shootout that took place in front of the Boulogne stand, in the same place where Marcin Bulka eliminated PSG this season.

Vermeulen's saves meant OGC Nice won its 3rd Coupe de France, 43 years later. To this day, this remains the last victory in the record books...

2011: THE LAST EPIC

The last run in the Coupe de France was in 2011, and it ended on April 19. A Tuesday of fire, where the red and black people were out in force and where the Ray was filled to the rafters (17 145 fans).

Coming off the back of a nice victory in the derby against Monaco three days earlier, the team led by Eric Roy is facing a monster. A monster who, paradoxically, takes advantage of the circumstances to turn the tide. Shortly after the half hour, Florent Balmont is injured and leaves the pitch for Eden Hazard. The Belgian genius changes everything. He opens the score with a thunderbolt of a shot - slightly deflected by Pejcinovic - under the bar of Lionel Letizi, just before the break.

After the break, the task is immense, especially against Les Dogues who are benefitting from the supreme confidence they have in this game. It's game over when Gervinho, running in behind, rounds Letizi to double the lead. That same season, Lille win the League and Cup double. The Gym finish 17th, two points ahead of the relegated Monaco.

*This history includes only the Coupe de France, and does not take into account the Coupe de la Ligue, where the Gym reached the final in 2006 (lost 2-1 to Nancy) and the semi-final in 2009 (lost to Vannes on penalties) and 2012 (lost 2-1 to Marseille).

 

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C.Djivas (source Michel Oreggia)

OGC Nice / Icon Sport / Populaire Sud