In the final match of the league phase of the Europa League against Bodø/Glimt on Thursday, Le Gym were held to a 1-1 draw. Badredine Bouanani scored the equaliser for Nice.

The 2024-25 Europa League comes to an end for OGC Nice. Already eliminated ahead of tonight's match against Bodø/Glimt of Norway, Franck Haise's men had ‘’moral stakes ‘’ at play at the Allianz Riviera on Thursday, as the Côte d'Azur coach explained in his pre-match press conference. The Aiglons were keen not to leave the Europa League with a defeat and not to damage their momentum in domestic competitions, and they wanted to go out with their heads held high.

Going behind to Fredrik André Bjørkan's opener, which came after a corner had been badly cleared and Patrick Berg had been fortunate enough to get on the end of it (0-1, 54'), the Rouge et Noir did not give up. Sofiane Diop and his team-mates did the hard work to earn an equaliser, boosted by Gaëtan Laborde's usual spirited performance. Perfectly placed in behind by Badredine Bouanani, the Gym No.24 held on to the ball before finding his partner in attack with a good cross back into the area. The Algerian international, who had already scored a magnificent goal from a free-kick against Glasgow Rangers at the end of November (1-4), went on to score for the second time this season in Europe, and the fourth time in all competitions, with a well-struck side-footed finish (1-1, 74').

FOUR YOUNGSTERS START

OGC Nice went into the match with a starting eleven reshuffled from their win over OM, with ten changes in all, and looked a younger side from the outset. With four players who had come through the club's youth academy starting (Antoine Mendy, Yaël Nandjou, Issiaga Camara and Farès Bousnina, who was starting a professional match for the first time), Les Aiglons tried to look dangerous despite the Norwegians having most of the possession. Youssoufa Moukoko (13‘), Issiaga Camara (15’, 17‘) and Antoine Mendy (29’) all failed to get their long-range shots on target against goalkeeper Nikita Haikin.

The visitors had the best chance of the opening period, but Hakon Evjen's clean left-footed shot hit the post with Maxime Dupé otherwise looking sharp and calm in goal (20').

LE GYM PUSH

Moïse Bombito and Co regained control of the game in the second half and almost equalised in the 56th minute when Bouanani's curling shot was tipped over by Haikin. Reinforced by Jonathan Clauss, Melvin Bard, Mohamed-Ali Cho and Hicham Boudaoui coming off the bench, Le Gym pushed forward in the dying moments to try and secure their first European win. It was not to be, however, as there was always a Norwegian to keep the ball out of the net, as in the case of Nielsen's intervention in front of Diop (76') and Bjørkan's save from Bouanani (90'+4).

Finishing 35th at the end of the league phase, the Rouge et Noir will not continue in the competition. They will be looking to return to European football next season, via their performances in Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France. Starting with a trip to Toulouse on Sunday 2 February (3pm), on Ligue 1 Matchday 20.

Hugo Rondet