They would have liked to finish better. After a very good 60 minutes and a three-goal lead (1-4), AS Monaco were caught off guard by a transformed Strasbourg side and unfortunately lost 5-4 in this final match of the season. Match ✍️

The context 📅

It was the final match of the 2025-2026 season for the Rouge et Blanc, who were determined to finish the campaign on a high note, as Folarin Balogun explained in his press conference. In Strasbourg, they faced the team that eliminated them from the Coupe de France at the beginning of February. The players from the Principality club would be looking to avenge that defeat and hopefully secure a top-six finish should Olympique de Marseille slip up against Rennes.

We had a Coupe de France match where their passion and personality caused us problems. It will be up to us to raise our game. In any case, it will be a great match in a great stadium with a great crowd. I hope our supporters will be in the away section, as they have been every season, to give them a match that reflects what we want to achieve.

Sébastien Pocognoli

The XI 👥

For this final match, Sébastien Pocognoli changed his system, switching back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Denis Zakaria positioned in midfield alongside Lamine Camara. Simon Adingra returned to the left wing, while Ansu Fati played as a number 10 behind Folarin Balogun.

The scenario 🎞

In front of nearly 250 fans in the away end, Monaco immediately applied a high press to disrupt the opposition's build-up play. This tactic paid off, as Lamine Camara, sliding in at Samir El Mourabet's feet just outside the box, found the top corner and opened the scoring (0-1, 10').

An equalizer against the run of play

Increasingly enterprising, they could even have been awarded a penalty for a handball by Ismaël Doukouré, but Mr. Bastien waved play on after consulting VAR (14'). The match then became more balanced, and Diego Moreira attempted a curling shot that was easily saved by Lukáš Hradecký (29'). Ansu Fati and Simon Adingra responded immediately, but their efforts were thwarted by Mike Penders (31'). Unfortunately, Racing's luck was better, and they equalized through Martial Godo (1-1, 34').

Two fine goals to extend their lead

Despite conceding the goal, the Rouge et Blanc went back on the attack and Lamine Camara bagged a brace with a thunderous strike under the crossbar (1-2, 42'). It was his first ever brace for his club, by the way! Back in front, they then extended their lead through their Spanish striker, who also scored with an excellent strike into the top corner (1-3, 45+2'). On fire at the end of the first half, they even came close to scoring a fourth goal, but Christian Mawissa hit the post (45+6').

A completely wild second half

The deadlock finally broke ten minutes after the restart with an own goal by Ismaël Doukouré, attempting to deflect a shot from Folarin Balogun (1-4, 55'). However, there was little time to savor the victory as the home side twice reduced the deficit through Diego Moreira (2-4, 58') and then Sebastian Nanasi in quick succession (3-4, 61'), before equalizing through the Swedish midfielder (4-4, 72'), and finally taking the lead through Martial Godo (5-4, 84th minute).

A match with a cruel twist

It was a terrible twist, even though the Rouge et Blanc refused to give up, and Paris Brunner, who had come on just a few minutes earlier, hit the crossbar with a slightly deflected shot (87'). The German striker tried his luck again a few minutes later (91'), as did Ansu Fati (93'), but both were denied by Mike Penders. AS Monaco thus lost 5-4 at the Stade de la Meinau and finished the 2025-2026 season in seventh place.

Key moments 🎥

  1. 10': Camara capitalizes on a poor clearance to open the scoring with a sliding effort (0-1)
  2. 29': Moreira's curling shot is easily caught by Hrádecký
  3. 31': Double save by Penders against Fati and Adingra
  4. 34': Godo equalizes from six yards after being found with a cutback (1-1)
  5. 42: Camara scores his second goal with a powerful shot under the bar (1-2)
  6. 45+2': Fati follows Camara and also finds the top corner (1-3)
  7. 45+8': Mawissa hits the post with a shot from 20 yards
  8. 48': El Mourabet tries his luck from distance, but it grazes the bar
  9. 55': Doukouré beats Penders by deflecting a shot from Balogun (1-4)
  10. 58': A powerful shot from Moreira, who reduces the deficit (2-4)
  11. 61': Nanasi scores with a shot across Hrádecký's goal (3-4)
  12. 72': Nanasi capitalizes on a pass from Enciso to score from close range (4-4)
  13. 80': Enciso's shot grazes Hrádecký's post
  14. 84': Godo curls his shot into the side of goal (5-4)
  15. 87': Brunner hits the crossbar with a slightly deflected shot

🗓️ Match details:

Sunday, May 17, 2026 (9:00 PM) - Stade de la Meinau

Ligue 1 McDonald’s - Matchday 34: RC Strasbourg 5-4 AS Monaco

Half-time: 1-3

Goals: Godo (34, 84'), Moreira (58'), Nanasi (61', 72') for Strasbourg; Camara (10', 42'), Fati (45+2'), own goal by Doukouré (55') for AS Monaco

Yellow cards: Noubissié (69') for Strasbourg; Mawissa (31'), Camara (51') for AS Monaco

Strasbourg: Penders - Ouattara, Doukouré ©, Omobamidele, Doué - Barco (Noubissié, 59'), El Mourabet - Moreira, Nanasi (Högsberg, 91'), Godo - Enciso

Substitutes: Johnsson, Högsberg, Amougou, Noubissié, Luis, Oyedele, Amo-Ameyaw, Diémé, Yassine

Coach: Gary O'Neil

AS Monaco: Hrádecký - Teze (Touré, 67'), Kehrer (Bamba, 20'), Faes, Mawissa - Camara, Zakaria © - Akliouche (Coulibaly, 67'), Fati, Adingra (Biereth, 76') - Balogun (Brunner, 76')

Substitutes: Köhn, Nibombé, Bamba, Cabral, Coulibaly, Touré, Biereth, Brunner

Coach: Sébastien Pocognoli

See also