Monaco return to domestic action with a trip to the Stade Auguste-Delaune to face mid-table Reims in Ligue 1 on Saturday night.
Adi Hutter's men were beaten resoundingly by Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, and this will be a quick turnaround for their penultimate league game of 2024.
Match preview
© Imago
After a superb start that saw Monaco briefly sit at the top of the league, inconsistency is hurting them now as we approach the winter break.
Monaco's last 10 matches in all competitions have brought five wins and five losses, with the 3-0 defeat at the Emirates their third in four games.
Despite a respectable showing, Monaco were caught out late on with two cheap second-half goals from the Gunners, meaning they were unable to build upon the 2-0 win against Toulouse last weekend.
The two other defeats in that run came against Benfica and Marseille, with both winning goals being scored in the dying stages, seeing points dwindle away from winning positions.
That defeat to Marseille saw Roberto De Zerbi's side overtake them in the Ligue 1 standings, dropping the side from the principality down to third on goal difference.
In what has been a brilliant 2024 for Monaco though, they will hope to end it on a high, with the Toulouse win being the ninth in 12 league games at home.
On the road, they are just as effective, with 10 wins in their last 13 away Ligue 1 matches, and the visitors have also won on their previous two trips to Reims, meaning they have the chance to win three in a row here for the first time in their history.
The most recent meeting actually went in the favour of Reims though, recording a 3-1 win at the Stade Louis II in January, but the hosts have not won back-to-back games against Monaco in Ligue 1 since 1974 though, illustrating just how dominant the visitors are in this fixture.
© Imago
Recent results will not provide a lot for the home faithful to be excited about either with no goals in their last two games, and they are also struggling to keep them out at the other end.
Reims have not kept a clean sheet in their eight games here at the Auguste-Delaune, with that partly contributing to a run of just one win in seven games across all venues - which came away from, 3-0 against Le Havre.
Luka Elsner's side are still in the top half though, courtesy of a very strong start, but that will not last if current form continues, and they will now face a very tough end to 2024, facing the club in third.
With Saint-Etienne, Nice and Le Havre to come in their first three league fixtures of 2025, Elsner may appreciate the upcoming break, giving the team a chance to reset before some very winnable games on paper.
Team News
© Imago
There are no new injury concerns for Reims, but the same five players remain sidelined, including important attacker Mohammed Daramy, as well as Reda Khadra, Maxime Busi, Abdoul Kone and Joseph Okumu.
Keito Nakamura will be the man to watch in attack for the hosts, as the Japanese international sits joint-fourth in the Ligue 1 scoring charts so far this season, behind only Jonathan David, Bradley Barcola and Mason Greenwood.
Monaco will be without highly-rated full-back Vanderson due to suspension here, so Jordan Teze is likely to deputise for him on the right-hand side of defence.
Fellow defenders Christian Mawissa Elebi and Wilfried Singo were both banned for the trip to Arsenal in midweek, but have been regulars in the league side of late, so are both likely to return, with Caio Henrique one of the players set to drop out.
Hutter has problems in midfield, with Denis Zakaria and Soungoutou Magassa both doubts, so the inexperienced Eliot Matazo could start again alongside Lamine Camara in the engine room, like he did last weekend.
Reims possible starting lineup:
Diouf; Aurelio Buta, Kipre, Agbadou, Akieme; Atangana Edoa, Kone, Munetsi; Ito, Diakite, Nakamura
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Majecki; Teze, Kehrer, Singo, Mawissa Elebi; Matazo, Camara; Akliouche, Golovin, Ben Seghir; Embolo
We say: Reims 0-2 Monaco
Despite three defeats in four games, Monaco have still shown plenty of positive signs, threatening Arsenal more than once in midweek, and taking the lead against Marseille and Benfica, so against weaker opposition, they may have more joy this weekend.
Reims have been uninspiring of late, with no goals in their last two and a 2-0 defeat to Lens in their last home encounter, suggesting they may drop out of the top half heading into 2025.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
