Top scorer Plea out, a huge blow for Nice in title contention

Nice suffered a huge blow as their top scorer Alassane Plea will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury, the French football club announced on Tuesday.

"Injured during the fixture between Rennes-Nice, Alassane Plea will be unavailable for the rest of the season," said the Nice club, reports Xinhua news agency.

The 23-year-old forward Plea, who had 11 goals so far, picked up the injury to his right knee at Roazhon Park against Rennes, before he was forced off and replaced by Anastasios Donis before the interval.

Undergoing several medical checks over the past few days, including an arthroscopy on Monday in Lyon, Plea was examined to miss out the remaining games on the schedule.

The news came as much disappointment for third-ranked Nice in their contest for the French league title against Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain.

The team will host Montpellier on Friday without their two crucial players on the attacking front as Italian striker Mario Balotelli was sent off for talking in an inappropriate manner to match referee last weekend against Lorient.

--IANS

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