PARIS: Monaco have had a fine start to the season at home and in Europe, and are hoping to last the pace in the Ligue 1 title race ahead of a stiff test of their credentials against Lille this weekend.
The principality club were thrilling champions in 2017 with a teenage Kylian Mbappe in their ranks but have not managed to repeat those heroics despite four podium finishes in the seven seasons since.
However, they were runners-up to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season and went into the recent international break top of the table, two points clear of the reigning champions.
Under Austrian coach Adi Huetter, Monaco have won six of their seven Ligue 1 matches so far, the sole exception being a 1-1 draw at home to Lens, when they were denied victory by a stoppage-time penalty.
They have also got off to a good start in their first Champions League campaign in six seasons, beating Barcelona 2-1 at the Stade Louis II before coming from two goals down to draw at Dinamo Zagreb.
Monaco have been helped by some sound close-season recruitment, in particular the arrival of young Senegal star Lamine Camara in midfield to make up for the sale of French international Youssouf Fofana to AC Milan.
The emergence of exciting young talents Eliesse Ben Seghir and Maghnes Akliouche is significant too, while the departure of prolific captain Wissam Ben Yedder may ultimately be beneficial.
Ben Yedder, who scored 98 Ligue 1 goals in five seasons, is currently on trial for sexual assault and is battling alcoholism.
The next week will say much about Monaco’s long-term prospects however, with Lille’s visit on Friday followed by a Champions League meeting with Red Star Belgrade and then a derby against Nice.
“It is a fact that we have started the season very well but it was the same situation at this point last year,” Huetter pointed out. Monaco were top after seven games last season.
“We have some big opponents coming up and for me Lille are one of the best teams in the league.”
Eight-time champions Monaco have also been dealt a blow with the news that United States striker Folarin Balogun will be out for two months after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the team’s last game, a 2-1 win at Rennes.
This weekend’s opponents Lille, champions in 2021, are fifth and recently beat Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The trip to the Mediterranean for them will be followed by a journey to Spain to play Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
The midfielder, 31, was so impressive on Brest’s run to a surprise third-place finish last season that he was named in Ligue 1’s team of the year.
An untimely injury — a stress fracture of the fibula — prevented him from leaving the Brittany club during the close season when a lucrative move to a more glamorous name seemed on the cards.
He then played no part in Brest’s first eight games of this campaign but returned as a substitute in their last match, against Le Havre two weeks ago.
Now he is in line to feature in Saturday’s Brittany derby against Rennes — a club he might have joined last season — and will hope to start in Wednesday’s Champions League clash against German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
21 — Leaders PSG have scored 21 goals in Ligue 1 so far this season, an average of three per game, suggesting Kylian Mbappe’s departure is not being too keenly felt.
6 — PSG’s Bradley Barcola is Ligue 1’s top scorer with six goals. He also scored for France in this month’s Nations League action, netting in a 4-1 win over Israel.
4 — Mason Greenwood has gone four games without scoring after netting five goals in his first three appearances for Marseille.
Fixtures (times GMT)
Friday
Monaco v Lille (1845)
Saturday
Brest v Rennes (1500), Saint-Etienne v Lens (1700), Paris Saint-Germain v Strasbourg (1900)
Sunday
Le Havre v Lyon (1300), Auxerre v Reims, Nantes v Nice, Toulouse v Angers (all 1500), Montpellier v Marseille (1845)
