Some players have joined up with their national teams, while others are resting or catching up on fitness. At the end of September, AS Monaco has switched into international break mode after a month of competition and seven matches already played in all competitions. So, while waiting for Ligue 1 McDonald’s to resume, here’s a flashback to a promising start to the 2026-27 season. 🔙

European qualification secured 🇪🇺

The number one objective at the start of the season was to book a place in the Conference League group stage. Mission accomplished, as Filipe Luís’ men imposed themselves convincingly in the play-off against Górnik Zabrze, winning both away in Poland (2-3) and at home at the Stade Louis-II (4-1). That double victory sealed the Rouge et Blanc’s spot in the C4, where they will play six matches against CSKA Sofia, SC Freiburg, Nordsjaelland, Heart of Midlothian, Brighton and Lincoln Red Imps.

Sitting top of Ligue 1 🥇

Buoyed by European qualification, Denis Zakaria and his teammates also delivered in the league. After a narrow opening win at Le Havre between the two play-off legs (1-0), they went on to claim major scalps in Ligue 1, defeating Olympique de Marseille (2-0), Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc (1-2) and RC Lens (2-1)! Only a draw at Strasbourg prevented a perfect five wins from five, but Monaco still sits top of the table with 13 points after five rounds.

An unbeaten run continues 💪

With six wins and one draw in all competitions, AS Monaco is one of just nine clubs across Europe’s Big Five leagues yet to taste defeat — and only five of those have played as many matches (including Freiburg, Brentford, Everton and Liverpool), just behind FC Barcelona (eight wins from eight in all competitions). Proof of the team’s strong start, backed by more than 2,000 travelling supporters already — including 1,000 in Paris in just four minutes — and tasked with extending the run when Ligue 1 resumes against Toulouse at the Stade Louis-II on October 10.

Filipe Luís, a dream start 📈

The main architect of this excellent beginning is the Brazilian coach, who arrived on July 6. He has delivered the best start for a Monaco manager after seven matches in all competitions, with six wins and one draw. That record surpasses Claudio Ranieri and Gérard Banide (5 wins, 2 draws), as well as Arsène Wenger (5 wins, 2 defeats). A hugely encouraging start for the former Seleção left-back, who recently admitted he felt at home in Monaco right away.

Brunner, the success story 😍

Another key figure of Monaco’s summer is Paris Brunner. Already the Rouge et Blanc’s top scorer in pre-season (5 goals), the young German striker wasted no time once competitive action began. After scoring in both legs of the Conference League play-off against Górnik Zabrze, he has also found the net four times in Ligue 1 McDonald’s: a brace against OM (2-0), followed by crucial goals at Strasbourg (1-1) and against Lens at the Stade Louis-II (2-1).

Academy talents making their mark 💎

This successful start has also seen new faces make their senior debuts for AS Monaco. Among the youngsters from La Diagonale, many of whom featured in pre-season and trained with the first team, Anis Soubeir, Oumar Konaté and Safouane Benzahra all made their competitive bows in the first leg of the Conference League play-off away to Górnik Zabrze (2-3 win). Having earned minutes in pre-season, they have since continued to feature in Ligue 1.

Summer signings delivering 🆕

They too are discovering the famous Diagonale shirt. Signed over the summer to strengthen the squad, Matthis Abline, Mathys Detourbet, Flávio Nazinho and Sadibou Sané have all worn the Rouge et Blanc jersey. And they have impressed: the Senegal international has been installed at centre-back alongside Eric Dier by Filipe Luís, while the Portuguese full-back has taken up the left side of defence. After a minor injury in pre-season, the former Nantes forward has since started convincingly against Lens, while the Ligue 2 champion has made an impact off the bench.

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