Preview: Monaco vs. Bordeaux - prediction, team news, lineups

Monaco will be looking to continue their Ligue 1 recovery on Sunday afternoon when they welcome Bordeaux to Stade Louis II.

The hosts are now back up into the top half after a poor start to the campaign, while their upcoming opponents are still struggling down in 16th.

Match preview

© Reuters

After an uncharacteristically poor start to the 2021-22 season, Monaco finally appear to be clicking into gear, helped in no small part by the return to form of Wissam Ben Yedder, who has scored three in their last two league games.

The captain followed up a brace in the 3-1 success over Saint-Etienne with another goal as his side came from behind to produce the same scoreline away at Clermont.

The newly-promoted side took the lead after just seven minutes, but Ben Yedder found an equaliser before the half-hour mark and second-half goals from Kevin Volland and Myron Boadu sealed back-to-back wins for Niko Kovac's men.

That moves the principality side up to eighth and restores their goal difference to 0 so, with the European spots now back in touching distance, Kovac will hope to inspire his men to keep up this form and perhaps even set about closing the considerable gap to Paris Saint-Germain at the top.

A frustrating draw away at Real Sociedad during Thursday's Europa League fixtures may have put a dent in that momentum, however.

© Reuters

Frustrating draws in Europe remain a distant memory for Bordeaux, who have not qualified for any form of continental football since 2018, as they slumped to bottom-half finishes in their last three seasons.

A change of manager over the summer certainly did not have the desired immediate effect, with Les Girondins taking just two points from their first five games.

Things are perhaps beginning to turn around under Vladimir Petkovic, though - the team are now on a three-game unbeaten run, having followed up their first win of the season away at Saint-Etienne with draws against Montpellier and Rennes.

It was a 3-3 thriller in the former, but last weekend's game produced just the two goals, with Bordeaux relieved to grab a late equaliser as Mexer fired home in the 88th minute.

An away match against an improving Monaco side will certainly prove to be their toughest challenge for a while, but Petkovic will remind his men that their performances on the road have actually been far superior to their home form, with five of their seven points having been picked up away from the Matmut Atlantique.

Team News

© Reuters

Caio Henrique came off with an injury during Monaco's Europa League game on Thursday and may not feature here as a result, whilst Cesc Fabregas remains a doubt, as he has been all season.

After underwhelming performances recently, Djibril Sidibe - who was replaced at half time during the game against Sociedad - and Boadu may find themselves dropped from the starting XI.

There are no major injury worries or suspensions for Kovac to deal with, and he will likely choose a 4-4-2 setup.

With no changes in terms of available Bordeaux players, there will not be much in the way of rotation.

Captain Laurent Koscielny remains out with an ankle injury, as does Issouf Sissokho through illness, and it appears that Josh Maja and Alberth Elis will not have recovered in time.

Samuel Kalu and Hwang Ui-jo should continue to lead the line, but Sekou Mara and Remi Oudin are also options in attack for Petkovic.

Monaco possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Aguilar, Disasi, Pavlovic, Jakobs; Diatta, Fofana, Lucas, Golovin; Volland, Ben Yedder

Bordeaux possible starting lineup:
Costil; Kwateng, Gregersen, Mexer; Pembele, Fransergio, Otavio, Mangas; Adli; Kalu, Hwang

We say: Monaco 2-1 Bordeaux

Whilst Bordeaux appear to have steadied the ship, so too have Monaco and, if both teams play to their potential, it is the hosts who have more class in their ranks.

The Monegasques won the pair's two meetings last season 4-0 and 3-0. While we do not expect the margin to be that large on this occasion, it should be a reasonably routine victory for the home side.