Ligue 1 Showdown: Auxerre vs Monaco Preview
Auxerre will host Monaco this Saturday at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps in a highly anticipated Ligue 1 match. Auxerre currently sits in 14th place with 3 points after losing their last game 1-0 against Nantes. Monaco, on the other hand, is in 4th place with 6 points, buoyed by their recent 3-2 victory against Strasbourg.
Historically, Monaco holds the advantage in head-to-head encounters, with 26 wins compared to Auxerre's 21 in 72 matches. However, at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, Auxerre has a stronger record, winning 14 out of 36 games against Monaco.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Monaco manager Adi Hutter is expected to rotate his squad ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Club Brugge. Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky is sidelined with a knee injury and will be replaced by Philipp Kohn. Ansu Fati and Paul Pogba are also unavailable due to injury.
Several key players, including Eric Dier, Christian Mawissa, and Lamine Camara, are likely to start on the bench.
Predicted Monaco XI: Philipp Kohn; Kassoum Ouattara, Mohamed Salisu, Thilo Kehrer, Vanderson; Aleksandr Golovin, Denis Zakaria, Aladji Bamba, Maghnes Akliouche; Folarin Balogun, Mika Biereth.
Key Stats to Watch
- Monaco has conceded goals in their last three games.
- Auxerre has gone winless in their last two matches and is coming off two consecutive defeats.
- Christophe Pélissier has a poor record against Adi Hutter, losing both of their previous encounters.
This match promises to be an exciting contest between two teams with contrasting form and objectives. Will Auxerre be able to capitalize on Monaco's squad rotation, or will Monaco's quality prevail?