Monaco braced for battle as title race hots up
PARIS: Following a bruising League Cup final defeat to Paris Saint- Germain, Monaco resume their battle against the capital club for the Ligue 1 title with a trip to face the physical might of Angers on Saturday.
The principality club’s 4 - 1 loss to PSG in Lyon ended their prospects of a domestic treble but they maintain a three-point lead over the reigning champions in the league with seven games left.
The clubs will also meet in the last four of the French Cup later this month after both came through quarter-final ties in midweek, but it is the league that matters the most and that is where Monaco maintain the upper hand.
“Right now we are three points clear but they remain the favourites, as they already were at the start of the season,” said Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim, whose side also boast a far superior goal difference.
“We know that seven victories in eight matches should be enough,” he added.
Monaco could be forgiven for having one eye on their Champions League quarter- final against Borussia Dortmund, with the first leg in Germany set for next Tuesday. But they cannot afford to let their guard down against Angers, an unfancied outfit but a powerful team on a fine run of form. They beat Bordeaux 2-1 on Wednesday to qualify for the French Cup semi-finals and they are now unbeaten in their eight home matches in 2017, form that has all but secured their top-flight survival.
And with home fixtures against Monaco and Paris Saint- Germain to come in the next 10 days at their newly rechristened Stade Raymond Kopa, they could have a big say in where the Ligue 1 trophy goes.
“Angers are very strong and very physical. They have surprised a lot of people but not me,” Jardim added. — AFP