Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 49/20
Bookmaker: Unibet
AS Monaco are scheduled to welcome Paris Saint-Germain to the Stade Louis II in the Principality on Saturday afternoon, with the two teams set to do battle for the points on offer in the 23rd round of the Ligue 1 season. One team is looking to break into the top two and fight for a chance to play in the Champions League next term, while the other is trying to strengthen its hold on the leading spot in the title race.
AS Monaco
The spots leading into all three UEFA competitions next season are all up for grabs at the moment, and Monaco are right in the thick of things. At the moment, they’re in fourth place with 44 points, two less than Olympique Marseille in second and Lens in third, four more than Rennes in fifth, and six more than LOSC Lille in sixth. Only the top two go straight into the group stages of the Champions League; the third place leads into the qualifications for the elite competition, the fourth into the Europa League, and fifth into the Conference League.
Philippe Clement’s team have been on fine form recently, despite their last-six run in all competitions starting with a surprising exit from the French Cup in the round of 64. After a 2-2 draw, they were beaten at home on penalties by Ligue 2 side Rodez. Then they drew 2-2 away to Lorient, destroyed Ajaccio at home by 7-1, drew 1-1 away to Marseille, beat Auxerre 3-2 at home, and returned from a 0-2 victory away to Clermont Foot last week.
Monaco gladly relinquished possession in favour of the hosts in that match, having scored both goals very early through Guillermo Maripan (3′) and Breel Embolo (13′).
Team News
Right-back Vanderson (knee) and centre-back Malang Sarr (hip) are missing from Clement’s ranks, as is 17-year-old midfielder Eliesse Ben Seghir (foot), though he probably wouldn’t get a chance in this game anyway.
Other than that, Monaco are in a good shape. Bayern Munich loanee Alexander Nubel will start in goal, with the quartet of Ruben Aguilar, Axel Disasi, Maripan, and Caio Henrique at the back, and Mohamed Camara, Youssouf Fofana, Aleksandr Golovin and Takumi Minamino in midfield. Upfront, Embolo should be partnered by captain Wissam Ben Yedder.
Paris Saint-Germain
The reigning and almost perpetual Ligue 1 champions are on the right track to confirm their complete domination in French football, which is hardly surprising given the amounts of money regularly spent to sign or keep the world’s greatest superstars.
There appeared to have been some tension within their ranks after Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammate Emiliano Martinez celebrated their World Cup final win over France by mocking Kylian Mbappe in an immature and disgusting manner, with the seven-time winner Ballon d’Or standing right next to him and doing nothing about it. Messi was later reportedly denied permission to parade the World Cup trophy at the Parc des Princes, and the request itself could also be said to have been made in poor taste, given the name and significance of the city in which his club resides.
The situation, however, appears to have been resolved in an amicable fashion and Messi himself recently stated he didn’t like his own behaviour at times involving the tournament in Qatar, historic both for his country and himself.
Be that as it may, PSG’s last-six run in all competitions isn’t too impressive. They lost 1-0 away to Rennes, smashed Pays de Cassel in the cup by 0-7 away, drew 1-1 at home against Stade de Reims, triumphed 1-3 away to Montpellier, beat Toulouse 2-1 at home, and lost 2-1 away to arch-rivals Marseille in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France.
Nonetheless, PSG still top the table strongly, with an eight-point advantage over Marseille, and it’s hard to imagine anyone overtaking them between now and the end of the season.
Team News
Mbappe is a couple of weeks away from returning to action after suffering a thigh injury, in what is certainly the most important absence for PSG. Defender Nordi Mukiele and midfiedler Renato Sanches are out as well, but Galtier’s ranks are boosted by the presence of defender Sergio Ramos and forward Neymar, both of whom returned just in time to feature against Marseille.
Gianluigi Donnarumma will, of course, be between the posts. At the back, Ramos should be joined by Marquinhos, flanked by Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. Marco Veratti, Danilo Pereira and Vitinha should be tasked with controlling the middle of the park. Carlos Soler should come it to replace Mbappe, alongside the superstar duo of Neymar and Messi.
Conclusion
Given everything we’ve seen in recent matches, this feels like a match the star-studded PSG could go on to lose.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 49/20
Bookmaker: Unibet
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