Scorers

30 for Balotelli and Plea

“What is remarkable and a fact that has made the Gym one of the best teams in the league, is that they have two strikers playing at the same level.”

When OGCNICE.com went out to get an idea of the feeling in Marseille ahead of the derby, this phrase underlined the efficiency of the Balotelli – Plea duo, which currently leads the Red and Black attack. With 16 goals in L1 for the Italian and 14 for Plea this season, the duo has just reached the 30 goal mark in the top flight. A not so frequent occurrence in the club’s history. A journey back through time.

11 before them

Before this Franco-Italian partnership, 11 attacking duos have reached the 30 goal mark in the top division in a Gym shirt.  Many correspond, unsurprisingly with the golden eras. During the 1950-1951 season, which finished with the first French champions title for OGC Nice, Jean Courteaux found the back of the net on 27 occasions and Pär Bengtsson scored 15 (42 in total). This duo still holds the club record for “a regular season”. 

Only one other - no less memorable - has managed to equal this total: Hervé Revelli and Dick Van Dijk, who scored 22 and 20 goals respectively during the 1972-1973 season. 

A monster called Bjeko

A genius from the Balkans almost reached the 30 mark on his own: Nenad Bjekovic. This says all you need to know (or almost) about his talent and impact. During the 1977-1978 season (when the club finished in 8th place in the league...), the immense Yugoslavian forward scored 29 goals with insolence and lyricism. The 11 others came from the boss of the defence, Josip Katalisnki, during that same season, making them the 3rd most prolific duo in the club’s history in the top flight. 

During the 3rd millennia, only one duo has managed to pass the 30 goal marker.  A partnership which will be familiar to even our youngest fans: Hatem Ben Arfa and Valère Germain during the 2015-2016, when the side finished in 4th place. The virtuoso scored his highest total in L1 (17 goals) and the current OM forward scored on 14 occasions.

Since last Sunday, and with two games still to go, Super Mario and “Lasso” have already joined the famous circle, ahead of the great Dario and Bauthéac in 2012/2013 (19 goals for the Argentine and  9 for Bauthéac).

C.D (source Michel Oreggia)

*In all competitions, Balotelli has scored 24 goals ; Alassane Plea 19.

The top duos  

1 - 42 goals 

1950-51: Bengtsson (15) Courteaux (27)

1972-73: Revelli (22) and Van Dijk (20)

3 - 40 goals

1977-78: Bjekovic (29) Katalinski (11) 

4 - 34 goals

1953–54: Fontaine (17), Ujalki (17)

1958-59: Foix (18), Nurenberg (16) - Muro also scored 16 goals

6- 33 goals

1962-63: Giner (13) De Bourgoing (20)

7 - 32 goals 

1954-55: Fontaine (20), Ujlaki (12) - Abderrazak also scored 12 goals and Nurenberg 10 

1971-1972: Eriksson (13) Revelli (19)

9 - 31 goals 

1957-58: Muro (21), Barrou (10) - Nurenberg also scored 10 goals

2015-16: Ben Arfa (17) Germain (14)

11 - 30 goals

1949-50: Carré (17) and Rolland (13)

2017-18: Balotelli (16) and Plea (14)