Prediction: Monaco vs PSG

Prediction: PSG win

Best Odds: 11/20

Bookmaker: 888sport

The international break is slowly but surely coming to an end and as we look ahead to the weekend, domestic football is set to resume throughout the continent from England to Spain and beyond. On Friday night, however, it’ll be Ligue 1 that gets the party started with a blockbuster clash between AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain. It’s a league that isn’t often positioned as one of the truly elite top divisions in Europe, but if last season’s Champions League campaign taught us anything, it’s that the French shouldn’t be underestimated.

Monaco

Monaco have a tendency to fluctuate between being legitimate contenders in French football and being pretenders – and this season, they’ve started off like the latter. Things appear to have improved in recent weeks but they’re still lacking that cutting edge which would enforce the idea they are the leading candidates to push PSG off of their throne. If they want to make a statement, though, there’s no better way to do it than by beating the seemingly unstoppable champions.

Team News

Ben Yedder will miss this match after testing positive for COVID-19 on international duty with Ballo-Toure being an injury concern for the hosts. Elsewhere, Golovin has been ruled out and Aguilar is suspended.

PSG

The ultimate prize of the Champions League trophy eluded Paris Saint-Germain at the final hurdle last season, and it does seem as if that’s caused something of a ripple effect within the club. That may well have been their best ever chance to become Champions of Europe, and while the excitement and thrill of dominating Ligue 1 is still an important piece of the puzzle for many of their fans, you have to wonder how important that UCL void really is.

Team News

Paredes, Di Maria and Marquinhos are all doubts after playing in CONMEBOL qualifiers with Kean and Neymar also being doubts, although they will be assessed before game day. Kehrer, Draxler, Bernat and Gueye are the other confirmed injury absences.

Factors to Consider

• PSG are top of Ligue 1 with 24 points whereas Monaco are in sixth place with 17 points.
• Monaco have won three, drawn one and lost two of their last six games.
• PSG have won four and lost two of their last six games.
• Monaco have scored 11 goals and conceded nine in their last six games.
• PSG have scored 14 goals and conceded four in their last six games.

Conclusion

Even with the international break and all of the complications that come with it, we can’t imagine PSG are going to drop points here. Their only defeats as of late have come through the Champions League and when you take one look at their squad and the goalscoring form they appear to be in, they should be too much to handle for Monaco. With that being said we do expect the hosts to put up a fight, which is why our official scoreline prediction is going to be 3-1 to the visitors.

Prediction: PSG win

Best Odds: 11/20

Bookmaker: 888sport