Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Ligue 1 clash between Strasbourg and Monaco, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Monaco will look to recover from a stuttering run of domestic form when they travel to Strasbourg‘s fortress of the Stade de la Meinau in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Adi Hutter‘s side have lost back-to-back games in France, but another win in Europe has them on course to finish in the top eight in the league phase of the Champions League.
Match preview
© Imago
Ahead of the November international break after this set of fixtures, Monaco’s form has nosedived in Ligue 1 since returning from that last break in October.
After taking 19 points from a possible 21 to start the season, Monaco are now winless in three thanks to a combination of ill-discipline and a clear loss of confidence, and have subsequently slipped from first to third in the standings.
The 0-0 home draw with Lille saw them need to hold on after Jordan Teze‘s red card, while a dismissal for Vanderson a week later at Nice saw them lose 2-1 after initially taking the lead.
Monaco managed to keep 11 men on the pitch last Friday, but fell to an inexplicable defeat at home to Angers, as Hutter blasted his side for their lack of urgency and invention as they slipped to the most surprising defeat of any team in Ligue 1 so far.
Paris Saint-Germain quickly overtook Monaco, and have since opened up a six-point gap over the side from the principality, while Marseille have also leapfrogged them on goal difference following their win over Nantes.
The visitors should take confidence from their continued excellent Champions League form though, as Thilo Kehrer‘s late header sealed a 1-0 win at the Dall’Ara against Bologna in midweek.
That win moved Monaco up into third and onto 10 points, the tally many predictions suggest will be enough for guaranteed passage into the knockout stage.
© Imago
Next up is Strasbourg, a side Monaco have completed a league double over in the past two seasons, with two narrow wins on this ground coming after a run of four without a win between 2018 and 2022, where they lost on three occasions.
Strasbourg have been very impressive on their own patch this season though, ranking as one of the top teams in the league for points at home.
Liam Rosenior‘s men are one of just three clubs still unbeaten at home in Ligue 1, along with PSG and Nice, taking 11 points from their five games at the Stade de la Meinau so far – including a win over second-place Marseille.
The hosts will be keen to return to familiar surroundings, especially after a disappointing 2-0 defeat on the road at struggling Saint-Etienne last week – the first game where the Alsace club have failed to score this season.
Despite taking just two points away from home so far, Strasbourg are still certainly among the clubs aiming for Europe, as they sit ninth heading into the weekend, only a couple of points off the top seven.
Strasbourg Ligue 1 form:
Monaco Ligue 1 form:
Monaco form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
Strasbourg’s Marvin Senaya has served his one-match suspension, but an ankle injury means he will remain out of contention for this one.
There are no new injury worries for Rosenior, with Emanuel Emegha, Alaa Bellaarouch, Thomas Delaine and Moise Sahi Dion still out for the home side.
Monaco boss Hutter was perhaps guilty of going too attacking in the defeat to Angers, as he named five attacking players in his XI, as well as winger Krepin Diatta at right-back.
The return of both Vanderson and Teze from suspension in defence will allow the Monaco boss to name a more balanced side here, as he was able to do in Bologna.
Mohammed Salisu and Folarin Balogun remain on the sidelines for the visitors, while Denis Zakaria is also likely to miss out, as the Swiss international has been dealing with a muscle problem intermittently over the past month.
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Doue, Sow, Sarr; Bakwa, Doukoure, Andrey Santos, Diego Moreira; Diarra, Mara, Nanasi
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Majecki; Vanderson, Singo, Kehrer, Caio Henrique; Magassa, Camara; Akliouche, Golovin, Ben Seghir; Embolo
We say: Strasbourg 2-2 Monaco
Monaco remain in the top three and in good form on the continent, but need to get back on track domestically, and this will be a difficult assignment against a side still unbeaten at home.
After a defeat on the road last week, Strasbourg will feel more secure with home comforts here, and will fancy themselves of taking something, like they did against Marseille.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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