Monaco are back at the Parc des Princes. Less than ten days after a thrilling encounter that saw Les Rouge et Bleu qualify for the Champions League round of 16, Paris and Monaco are set to face each other again at the Porte d'Auteuil stadium. ASM, who are enjoying a very positive run in the league, are currently in 7th place in the table and have high ambitions among in the top flight.
Unbeaten in Ligue 1 for nearly two months, the Principality club has the wind in its sails and is only three points off the top five. For their part, Paris Saint-Germain have also been successful in recent weeks in the league, with nine wins in the last ten games. It's a relentless pace that no one has been able to match so far, not even Lens, whom the Parisians now lead by four points at the top of the table.
2 – Paris Saint-Germain (12) and AS Monaco (13) are the two teams that have secured the most points in the last five Ligue 1 matches.
3 – Winners of their previous two home games against Monaco in Ligue 1, Paris will be looking to secure three consecutive home wins against ASM for the first time in their history in the top flight.
39 – After scoring in the last two league matches, Bradley Barcola has been involved in 39 goals in his last 60 Ligue 1 matches with Paris.
In goal for Monaco, Sébastien Pocognoli is expected to start Philipp Köhn once again in the absence of Lukas Hradecky. In front of the Swiss goalkeeper, a three-man central defence is likely to be fielded, with the indispensable Thilo Kehrer at the top of the list. With Eric Dier and Mohammed Salisu still unavailable, Wout Faes and Denis Zakaria are once again expected to complete the ASM defensive line-up. Unless the latter takes advantage of the return of French U21 international Christian Mawissa to regain his favoured position in midfield.
In any case, Brazilian internationals Vanderson and Caio Henrique are expected to return to their positions as wing-backs, while Kassoum Ouattara and Krépin Diatta will not be featuring. In midfield, everything will depend on the availability of captain Denis Zakaria, who is suffering from an adductor injury and is doubtful. Lamine Camara and Mamadou Coulibaly are the favourites to flank him in midfield, but if the former Chelsea and Juventus Turin player is absent or lined up in central defence, then Aladji Bamba or the versatile Jordan Teze could replace him.
The Belgian coach will then have to make some tough choices in attack, where no fewer than five Monaco players are vying for a starting spot. Among them, only Folarin Balogun (12 goals and four assists in all competitions this season), who scored twice against Paris in the Champions League, seems certain to start the match at the Parc. He is likely to be the only natural centre forward in the starting line-up, as Danish international Mika Biereth (5 goals, 2 assists) has been struggling in recent weeks, and Paris Brunner is more likely to play a supersub role.
The injured Takumi Minamino (4 goals, 3 assists) will not be present in the Monaco squad. The second starting spot in attack should therefore be contested between Aleksandr Golovin (2 goals, 6 assists), who is also capable of playing in midfield, Simon Adingra (4 goals, 1 assist), Ansu Fati (9 goals) and Maghnes Akliouche (5 goals, 6 assists). Although the latter has been in great form in recent weeks, it is the French international who seems to have the edge. Akliouche scored during Monaco's last visit to the capital and could do so again, forcing Ansu Fati to start on the bench.
