Matches 29 February 2020, 10:00

Ahead of #ASMSDR

Unbeaten for four games, AS Monaco (5th) face this evening (8pm, at Louis-II) the best defense in the championship, that of Stade de Reims (8th).

In last December. AS Monaco won in Toulouse (1-2) then against Amiens (3-0), drew against Angers (0-0), and thrashed Lille at the Stade Louis-II (5-1). Four consecutive games without defeat in Ligue 1 Conforama, and then a fifth at the Parc des Princes in January (3-3). It was the best series of AS Monaco this season in the league, a series that Robert Moreno’s men hope to match this weekend by winning against Stade de Reims.

Reims have the best defense in Ligue 1 Conforama…

To achieve this, AS Monaco will have to break down the best defense in the division, with only 20 goals conceded. With the exception of a loss in Strasbourg (3-0), the Champagne have never conceded more than two goals in a Ligue 1 Conforama match this season, thanks in particular to two men: their goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic, author of eleven clean sheets (a record shared with Mandanda) and their central defender Yunis Abdelhamid, who was among the best three players of the month for January.

… but also the second worst attack !

If they are well-organized defensively, Stade de Reims on the other hand tend to suffer in attack. Boulaye Dia is the club’s top scorer this season with seven goals, and he is followed by … Abdelhamid and his three goals (Rémi Oudin has the same number but now plays for Bordeaux). To replace him, the team led by David Guion recruited this winter the young striker El-Bilal Touré, an African U20 champion and scorer of two goals in four games, which makes him the youngest scorer at Stade de Reims in the top flight in the last 50 seasons.

Pre-match quotes:

It is important to win this match against Reims on Saturday and to continue our undefeated streak. We are going to try to take the reins and play well as we have in the previous few matches.

Robert MorenoManager, AS Monaco

Read Robert Moreno’s complete press conference here.

We take each match the same way. Even if Stade de Reims do not score much, it will be important to stay focused because we can concede a goal at any time.

Benoît BadiashileDefender, AS Monaco

Read Benoît Badiashile’s complete press conference here.

Saving a shot from Dia here at close range, Benjamin Lecomte was imperial in the reverse fixture.

#ASMSDR in brief

Historical record :

Matches in Ligue 1 : 45 (18W, 13D, 14Ò)
At home : 22 (11W, 7D, 4L)
Biggest home win : 5-0 (03/05/1967)
Last match at Stade Louis-II : ASM 2-1 SDR (Coupe de France – 04/01/2020)

Current form:

AS Monaco :
L1, J26. Draw at Dijon : 1-1 (Scorer : Maripan)
L1, J25. Win against Montpellier : 1-0 (Slimani)
L1, J24. Win at Amiens : 2-1 (Ben Yedder, Slimani)
L1, J23. Win against Angers : 1-0 (Jovetic)
L1, J22. Loss at Nîmes : 3-1 (Ben Yedder)

Stade de Reims :
L1, J26. Draw at Saint-Etienne : 1-1 (Scorer: Dia)
L1, J25. Win against Rennes : 1-0 (Touré)
L1, J24. Loss against Strasbourg : 3-0
L1, J23. Draw against Nice : 1-1 (Abdelhamid)
L1, J22. Win at Angers : 1-4 (Touré, Abdelhamid, Dia, CSC Angers)