Alassane Plea

Lore & Background

Pléa's tenure at Borussia Mönchengladbach began with immediate success, scoring three goals on his DFB-Pokal debut against BSC Hastedt. His first Bundesliga goal came on 1 September 2018 in a 1–1 draw away to Augsburg. By the end of that season, he was the club's top scorer with 12 league goals and 15 overall. The following campaign saw him add creative flair, recording eight goals and seven assists in his first 22 Bundesliga appearances. A pivotal moment occurred on 1 February 2020 against RB Leipzig; after opening the scoring to put Gladbach ahead 2–0, Pléa received two yellow cards and was sent off, yet the team still managed a 2–2 draw. He capped his domestic form that season by scoring his tenth league goal and assisting both of Marcus Thuram's goals in a decisive 4–1 victory over 1. FC Union Berlin on 31 May.

Reader's Guide

Alassane Pléa arrived at Borussia Mönchengladbach on a five-year deal in July 2018. His debut match was the DFB-Pokal first round tie against BSC Hastedt on 19 August 2018, where he scored a hat-trick in an 11–1 win. He adapted quickly to the Bundesliga, scoring his first league goal on 1 September 2018 against Augsburg. His Champions League record includes a historic hat-trick away to Shakhtar Donetsk on 3 November 2020 and two goals against Inter Milan later that year. Pléa also scored the first goal of the 2021–22 Bundesliga season in an August 2021 draw with Bayern Munich.

Did You Know?

• He recorded a Champions League hat-trick in a 6–0 away win against Shakhtar Donetsk, the largest victory in the club's competition history.
• He scored twice in a Champions League match against Inter Milan but was denied an equalizer and a second hat-trick by VAR in the final minutes.