Plea hits four as he secures Ligue 1 Player of the Week

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This week’s Ligue 1 player of the week award is bestowed upon Alassane Plea of Nice, whose blockbuster performance saw him bag four goals and 18 points as Les Aiglons breezes past a lacklustre Guingamp side on their journey to Stade de Roudourou.

With Mario Balotelli out of action, Plea was tasked with the duty of leading the Nice line and replacing a goal scorer that has netted an impressive 14 in 18 this season.

Any concerns that the Nice fans may have had prior to the match were quickly put to rest however, with Plea putting in what is arguably one of the standout solo performances of the season.

With the hosts ahead from a Clement Grenier penalty that had been dispatched with aplomb, Plea levelled the tie on 24 minutes with a driven effort past an onrushing Johnsson to round of an exquisite counter attack.

In an inspired second half performance, the 25-year-old went on to add a further three goals to his tally as he took the game away from a dumbstruck Guingamp side.

His second of the game arrived in just the second minute of the second half – getting onto the inside of his marker and latch onto a lofted diagonal ball before slotting calmly into the bottom corner of the net having successfully taken on a last ditch challenge.

He then secured the match ball just before the hour, holding off his marker with a display of strength and slotting into the near post of Johnsson’s goal.

With the game in its dying embers, the Frenchman then added the final gloss to his performance as he finished through the legs of the keeper to see the match finish 5-2.

The result sees Nice finish match day 29 in 7th place in the league –only two points of fifth – whilst Guingamp sit in 13th.

His ten goals and three assists see him lead the point scoring for Nice, with 55 points, whilst Balotelli sits second on 44.

The exploits of the French attacker have been a clear highlight in a season that has otherwise failed to live up to expectations for a team that finished last season in a lofty Champions League spot in a successful 2016/17 campaign.

With Plea continuing to grow in stature for a club for whom he has now spent the last four seasons, the team from the Côte d’Azur may have a task on their hands when it comes to retaining his talents over the summer, with many teams across the European top flights likely to be keeping track of a talent that appears to be coming into his prime.

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