After putting in a heroic performance, OGC Nice claimed the victory in the Mediterranean derby on Sunday, beating Olympique de Marseille (2-0) thanks to goals from Evann Guessand and Mohamed-Ali Cho! After 19 matches of the Ligue 1 campaign, Le Gym sit in fourth place.

Over the course of a season, there are matches that matter more than others. These are the fixtures fans circle as soon as the schedule is released. These are the moments every supporter dreams of the night before, waking up on game day with butterflies in their stomachs, hoping to either make it to the stadium or turn on their TV for an unforgettable experience. The Nice-Marseille clash on Sunday 26 January 2025 was one of those games.

This Mediterranean derby, always intense, stirs up passions from the Côte d’Azur to Provence—especially when it pits two teams competing for European spots, separated by three places and seven points at the start of the match. Even more so given the memory of the first encounter this season, where the Aiglons suffered a tough defeat despite a solid performance at the Vélodrome back in early September (Matchday 4, 2-0).

Beaten at Elfsborg and officially eliminated from the Europa League on Thursday, Franck Haise's men knew one thing: they owed their supporters a performance to be proud of tonight. Arriving in large numbers at the Allianz Riviera, the fans showed their unwavering support long before kick-off, giving the players a spectacular welcome as they stepped off the team bus. And the least that can be said is that the players repaid them for this.

Giving their all in every duel, recovering countless balls in tough situations through relentless pressing, and displaying courage and solidarity against Marseille's attacking play—the Rouge et Noir gave their all and deservedly won this clash, which brought Matchday 19 of Ligue 1 to a close. A victory marked by teamwork and efficiency, perfectly exemplified by the first goal.

GUESSAND ON THE SCORE SHEET ONCE AGAIN

Eager to immediately put pressure on Marseille’s defence, Evann Guessand and his teammates started the match at full throttle. Irresistible as ever, Le Gym's top scorer seized an otherwise innocuous ball from Lilian Brassier near the half-way line before surging toward the visitors' goal at lightning speed. Following a smooth one-two with Gaëtan Laborde, who delivered a perfectly weighted through ball, the Nice academy product beat Brassier for a second time in a critical duel. Guessand then delicately chipped over Géronimo Rulli, with the ball barely crossing the goal line (1-0, 7th minute). With nine goals in Ligue 1 (ten across all competitions), Guessand has entered the top five of the league's leading goalscorers, just three goals short of leader Mason Greenwood.

Not content to sit back, the Aiglons—bolstered by the debut of winter signing Baptiste Santamaria in midfield—continued their high pressing, significantly disrupting Marseille’s build-up play with a man-marking system characteristic of Franck Haise. They nearly doubled their lead when Ali Abdi recovered possession high up the pitch and attempted to find Mohamed-Ali Cho with a cutback in the penalty area, but Leonardo Balerdi cleared just in time (21').

With a duel-winning rate far superior to their opponents in the first half (64%), the hosts maintained their relentless efforts. The crowd nearly erupted when Gaëtan Laborde attempted an audacious bicycle kick that skimmed Rulli's right post (36'). Moments later, Rulli proved his worth, making a crucial save to deny Jonathan Clauss' effort following another swift counter-attack orchestrated by the Guessand-Laborde duo (43'). Not to be outdone, Marcin Bułka showcased his skills as well, deflecting two consecutive strikes from Quentin Merlin and Valentin Rongier (41').

CHO SETS THE ALLIANZ RIVIERA ALIGHT

Although the Rouge et Noir couldn’t double their lead at the end of the first half, it didn’t take them long to strike in the second. Determined not to repeat the mistakes made in Lille—where they conceded two goals in the second half after leading at half-time (Matchday 18, 2-1)—Laborde and his teammates came out with intent. This time, their efficiency was undeniable.

Always at the heart of the action, Guessand made his mark with a powerful burst through the middle before threading a perfect through ball to "Momo" Cho. The young striker showed composure and precision, slotting a flawless cross-shot past Rulli (2-0, 51').

After sending the Allianz Riviera into a frenzy for the second time, Franck Haise’s men stayed grounded. Demonstrating maturity, the Aiglons dropped deeper, challenging their rivals to solve an insoluble puzzle as the Azurean defence transformed into a wall for the final 30 minutes. From Dante’s countless interventions to Moïse Bombito’s spirited entrance and Hicham Boudaoui’s tireless runs, Nice held firm. Even when danger loomed, Marcin Bułka stepped up. The goalkeeper made a crucial save to deny Adrien Rabiot’s close-range effort (56'), determined to secure the team’s first clean sheet at home since their resounding victory over Saint-Etienne in early September (Matchday 5, 8-0).

Still as dangerous on the break, the home side nearly extended their lead. Guessand came close to scoring again, only to be denied by Rulli after a sublime assist from the Clauss, who impressed both defensively and offensively (74').

After five minutes of added time, the Allianz Riviera erupted with joy: Le Gym secured their ninth victory of the season while preserving their status as one of only two teams, alongside PSG, to still be unbeaten at home in the league. Now sat in 4th place, just one point behind third-placed Monaco and four points adrift of second-placed Marseille, the Aiglons have earned the right to dream of a thrilling season finale. They will return to their fortress for one last stand in the Europa League on Thursday against Bodø/Glimt (9pm) before traveling to Toulouse on Sunday 2 February (3pm).

Hugo Rondet