European dreams on the line as Monaco host PSG in playoff clash

Ligue 1 rivals duel with a place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 at stake as Monaco host current holder Paris Saint-Germain at Stade Louis II for the first leg of the playoff clash on Tuesday night.

Monaco claimed a 3-1 victory over Nantes in Ligue 1 at the weekend, which leaves them eighth in the Ligue 1 standings.

The Red and Whites battled to a goalless draw with Juventus last time out in the Champions League, edging them one point clear of the elimination zone, which secured a 21st-place finish for the French side.

PSG suffered a shocking 3-1 defeat at Rennes in Ligue 1, which saw them slip to second in the league table.

Luis Enrique’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle United in their last Champions League outing.

Match preview

Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain have never previously met in European competition, with Monaco losing their only prior major European tie against a fellow French side: they lost 3-2 on aggregate to Marseille in the 1998/99 UEFA Cup round of 16.

Paris Saint-Germain won both of their previous two games with French opposition in major European competition, beating Brest 10-0 on aggregate during the play-off round of last season’s Champions League (3-0 away, 7-0 at home).

The Red and Whites have been eliminated from each of their last two Champions League knockout round ties, losing to Juventus in the 2016/17 semi-finals and Benfica in the play-off round last season.

Under Luis Enrique, PSG have won 67% of their matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League (10/15), compared to 45% of their games in the league/group phase of the competition (10/22). The Parisians didn’t win any of their final three matches in the league phase of this edition (D2 L1).

Monaco are unbeaten in their last four home games in the Champions League (W1 D3), keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three.

Folarin Balogun is Monaco’s top scorer in the Champions League this term (3 goals) and has netted in two of his last four appearances against Paris SG across all competitions, although both came at the Parc des Princes (for Reims in January 2023 and Monaco in November 2023).

Team news

Monaco

Lukas Hradecky, Takumi Minamino, Mohammed Salisu, Kassoum Ouattara, Eric Dier, Paul Pogba and Pape Cabral are sidelined with injuries, while Lamine Camara and Maghnes Akliouche are doubts after being forced off last time out.

Paris Saint-Germain

Fabian Ruiz and Quentin Ndjantou are the only absentees for the visitors.

Predicted line-ups

Monaco: Kohn, Vanderson, Teze, Kehrer, Henrique, Zakaria, Coulibaly, Fati, Golovin, Adingra, Balogun.

Paris Saint-Germain: Safono, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes, Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves, Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.