Monaco vs Angers Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Monaco have discovered some form and now, with full focus on Ligue 1, will want to finish with a flourish as they welcome Angers down to the principality club.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1+ / US – beIN Sports Connect
Monaco preview: Improved Monegasque
It was a woeful start to life in Monaco for former Royale Union Saint-Gilloise boss Sebastian Pocognoli but the Monegasque have been much-improved of late as they push back towards the European spots.
They were left frustrated in midweek as they succumbed to a 5-4 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the knockout playoff round of the UEFA Champions League in a tie where the Monegasque blew a couple of huge opportunities.
Angers preview: Steady Angers
Angers come into this one on the back of a slender 1-0 defeat at home to Lille at Stade Raymond Kopa last week due to a first-half stoppage-time winner scored by Olivier Giroud, backing up a 2-0 defeat away from home against Lorient.
Under the management of Alexandre Dujeux, Angers have avoided the dreaded so-called ‘second season syndrome’ as they sit firmly in the middle-of-the-table and pushing away from the danger zone in Ligue 1.
Monaco team news: Coulibaly suspended
Monaco are without midfielder Mamadou Coulibaly, who is unavailable due to suspension, while the hosts also deal with plenty of key injury absentees, too.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Kohn; Kehrer, Zakaria, Faes; Vanderson, Camara, Bamba, Caio Henrique; Golovin, Akliouche; Balogun
Unavailable: Hradecky (Injured), Salisu (Injured), Dier (Injured), Coulibaly (Suspended), Cabral (Injured), Pogba (Injured), Minamino (Injured)
Questionable: Diatta (Injured), Ouattara (Injured)
Angers team news: Fully fit
Angers have no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues for this one and so they will be able to name an unchanged eleven as they make the trip to Monaco this week.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Koffi; Raolisoa, Camara, Lefort, Ekomie; Belkelba, Van den Boomen; Belkhdim, Mouton, Sbai; Koyalipou
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Monaco vs Angers prediction
That tie against PSG saw Monaco take the lead in both legs, 2-0 in the first-leg, before having a man sent off and then narrowly being beaten on aggregate – and they will want to take confidence from that for the rest of this season. Angers have a limited squad and play very limited football but it gets them results that are above their means and has them punching above their weight in the middle-of-the-table. They can perhaps be forgiven for perhaps entering ‘on the beach’ mode in Ligue 1, well clear of the danger zone. That means that a Monaco win may well be a good bet for this one once again at Stade Louis II.
Monaco vs Angers tip: Monaco to win
