Prediction: Monaco vs PSG

Verdict: Total goals over 3.5

Best odds: 8/11

Bookmaker: 888sport

Paris Saint-Germain will travel to the Fontvieille district of Monaco, where they will play AS Monaco at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday evening in a game that was postponed from December 1st, and will now be the 20th of the Ligue 1 season for both sides. It just so happens that these two teams met only three days earlier, on Sunday, at the Parc des Princes, and split the points by drawing 3-3.

AS Monaco

It rarely pays of to reappoint former managers in football, however successful they might have been during their previous tenure. It seems Monaco had to learn that the hard way after they brought back Leonardo Jardim last January, the man who created and led the team which won the Ligue 1 title in 2017, so far the only time Paris Saint-Germain have failed to win it since 2013.

Jardim obviously hasn’t been able to fulfill the expectations his own success set high, and he has been replaced by former Spain boss Robert Moreno less than three weeks ago.

Monaco enter the clash with PSG from the eighth place, though with 29 points to their name from the previous 19 matches – only four less than, for example, Rennes in third. But PSG and Olympique Marseille have pulled completely away with 46 and 41, respectively.

The draw in Paris was Moreno’s second game in charge, following a 2-1 triumph over Stade Reims in the French Cup a week earlier. Before that, Monaco thumped Lille by 5-1.

Team News

Moreno won’t be able to call upon forwards Stevan Jovetic, Pietro Pellegri and Willem Geubbels through injury. 

Paris Saint-Germain

The domination of PSG in French football in recent years hardly needs pointing out, and it can hardly be exaggerated. As has been said above, only Monaco have once managed to nick the title in front of them since Montpellier last won it back in 2012, and that says enough.

Of course, it’s not to be wondered at, given the resources at their disposal. They currently boast two most expensive players in the history of the game in Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, whose combined cost exceeded €400 million. It’s therefore no surprise for anyone that they sit atop of the table, currently five points clear of Marseille with this game in hand.

However, their primary goal has obviously been to win the Champions League, something they still haven’t been able to do despite all the money. Several top-class managers have been sacked because of it in recent years, and they still apparently believe that in Thomas Tuchel they have the man to deliver that trophy, the most prized in European club football.

Be that as it may, the defending champions are on a good run of results at the moment, with the Monaco draw on Sunday following a string of six league victories.

Team News

Tuchel should have the full squad at his disposal apart from 23-year-old defender Abdou Diallo, who is injured and isn’t expected back just yet.

Conclusion

After what happened on Sunday, this should be another very interesting contest between the two teams, and it feels like Monaco perhaps do have what it takes to end PSG’s unbeaten run. No team needs any special motivation when playing against one of the best teams in Europe, nor will they be feeling any pressure. But whichever way the tide turns, there should be plenty of goals again.

Verdict: Total goals over 3.5

Best odds: 8/11

Bookmaker: 888sport