Seeking their first home victory of the year, Monaco host Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Ligue 1 action on Friday at Stade Louis II.
Les Monegasques moved back into a Champions League place thanks to a dramatic 3-2 victory at Lens, while the league leaders remained unbeaten in 2024, grabbing a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw versus Rennes.
Match preview
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Monaco have been like a ping-pong match domestically since the campaign started back up again in 2024, going from good to poor in quick succession.
On Sunday, the Principality club showed us both, squandering a pair of advantages but nabbing a winner in stoppage time to climb back into third place, a point above their arch-rivals Nice and two behind Brest for second.
Adi Hutter's men have not won consecutive matches in Ligue 1 since December 2023 (two) and are winless in their last four domestic affairs played at Stade Louis II.
Monaco have just a single point from three Ligue 1 contests in the Principality this year, their co-lowest tally at home in a calendar year since 1966 (one point in first five home fixtures).
One thing which has remained consistent for them in 2024 has been their ability to find the back of the net, scoring in nine successive matches in all competitions, not counting their 2-1 triumph over Toulouse in 2023.
They have put together some impressive showings at home versus PSG, winning three successive top-flight encounters against them at Stade Louis II, netting three times on each occasion.
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It was not the prettiest game we have seen from them this season, but Les Parisiens kept fighting until the bitter end, collecting a single point thanks to a 97th-minute strike last weekend.
That increased their unbeaten run in Ligue 1 to 18 matches, their longest streak without a defeat in this competition since opening the 2018-19 campaign with at least a point in their first 22 encounters under then-manager Thomas Tuchel.
For the fifth time this century, this team have gone at least 17 matches without losing a top-flight contest, and the seventh time in their history, which is four more than any other side in the French top flight.
Under Luis Enrique, the league leaders have claimed 54 points from their opening 23 Ligue 1 affairs, the exact same as a season ago, with one fewer goal scored (54) and one more conceded (20) to this stage of the new campaign when compared to the previous one.
PSG have won all five of their away matches in all competitions this year by a combined margin of 19-2, most recently defeating Nantes 2-0.
While they have not come away with three points in the Principality since January 2020 (4-1), they ended a three-match winless run versus Les Monegasques earlier this season, claiming a 5-2 triumph at the Parc des Princes.
Team News
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Krepin Diatta and Vanderson are unlikely to feature for Monaco on Friday due to muscle injuries, while Ismail Jakobs has a hamstring strain.
Mohamed Camara is dealing with a sprained knee, while Denis Zakaria will not be available because of a yellow card suspension.
Last weekend, Folarin Balogun scored his first Ligue 1 goal since matchday 13 against PSG, and an own-goal from Brice Samba put them in front after a half hour before Takumi Minamino scored the winner in second-half stoppage time.
Presnel Kimpembe remains out of the PSG lineup with a sore Achilles tendon, Sergio Rico has a head injury, and Milan Skriniar could be available despite an ankle issue.
PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa is dealing with a sore back and unlikely to feature, while Marquinhos is doubtful because of a calf injury.
With his side down a goal against Rennes, Enrique took off Ligue 1's top goalscorer, Kylian Mbappe (21), while his replacement Goncalo Ramos notched the equaliser from the penalty spot, the latest goal for them since Opta began collecting this data in 2006-07.
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Kohn; Singo, Maripan, Salisu, Ouattara; Minamino, Fofana, Diop; Golovin; Ben Yedder, Balogun
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pereira, Beraldo, Mendes; Vitinha, Ruiz, Kang-in; Dembele, Mbappe, Kolo Muani
We say: Monaco 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain
Even when Mbappe is not on the field, PSG can still find a way to earn a result, and that is a scary thought for all the Ligue 1 sides who have to face them down the stretch of the season.
Les Monegasques have been far too inconsistent from one match to the next, especially on the back end, something we expect the visitors will take advantage of on Friday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
