A valuable workout ahead of the return to competitive action. Facing Italian side Pisa in a friendly, AS Monaco's players who remained in the Principality during the international break secured a deserved victory at the Performance Centre (2-0). It also provided an opportunity for Filipe Luís to give valuable minutes to several players returning from injury, in the presence of President Dmitry Rybolovlev and around one hundred children from ÜNSEME partner clubs. Match report ✍️
Sali' and Taki' make their return 🔙
Back from long-term injuries, Mohammed Salisu and Takumi Minamino both started, as did Ansu Fati, who resumed full team training two weeks ago. The Spaniard made an immediate impact after Philipp Köhn had produced a fine save to deny Marras' powerful effort (8'). Following a high turnover and a slick team move, Monaco's number 31 was denied by Alessandro Confente (17').
Key saves at both ends 🧤
Moments later, Mathys Detourbet followed suit as his low strike was turned away with a foot by the Italian goalkeeper (18'), before Taki' fired off target (19'). The pair combined again just before the half-hour mark, forcing the Nerazzurri shot-stopper into a superb double save, first low to his right and then from close range down the middle (29'). The Italians then looked to regain control of possession and threatened through Tramoni, whose sudden effort flashed just past the Monaco top corner (31').
Balogoal makes the difference on his return 🎯
The tempo dropped slightly thereafter, although Detourbet tried his luck once again (40'), while Philipp Köhn was called into action to push away Marras' direct free-kick from 16 metres out (45'). The opening half therefore ended goalless (0-0), before sweeping changes were made at the interval. Edan Diop, Folarin Balogun and Mika Biereth were all introduced after the restart, before Jordan Teze and Anis Soubeir, both returning from injury, entered the fray in the 57th minute. The changes quickly paid off, as the American opened the scoring from the penalty spot shortly after coming on (1-0, 59').
Anis the provider, Mika seals it 🤝
Trailing on the scoreboard, the Italians attempted to respond but struggled to trouble Monaco's defence. Instead, it was the Rouge et Blanc who added a second goal, as Anis Soubeir delivered a magnificent cross that was met on the volley by the alert Mika Biereth (2-0, 80')! Once again, the substitutes proved decisive as they secured AS Monaco's victory in this friendly against Pisa. An encouraging result ahead of Toulouse's visit to the Stade Louis-II next Saturday (20:45).
🗓️ Match sheet:
Saturday 3 October 2026 (11:00) - Performance Centre
🏋️♂️ Friendly: AS Monaco 2-0 Pisa SC
Half-time: 0-0
Goals: Balogun (59'), Biereth (80') for AS Monaco
Yellow cards: AS Monaco: none; Pisa: none
AS Monaco: Köhn - Touré (Teze, 57'), Dier (Mokabakila, 90'), Salisu (Nibombé, 75'), Nazinho (Dramé, 85') - Zakaria (c) (Diop, 46'), Cabral (El Ouaroudi, 90') - Minamino (Soubeir, 57'), Fati (Biereth, 46'), Detourbet (Sylla, 85') - Abline (Balogun, 46')
Substitutes: Decrenisse, Dramé, Mokabakila, Nibombé, Teze, Diop, El Ouaroudi, Soubeir, Sylla, Balogun, Biereth
Head coach: Filipe Luís
Pisa SC: Confente - Zanon, Calabresi (c), Canestrelli - Marras, Leone, Piccinini, Samuele - Tramoni - Léris, Pittarello
Substitutes: Loria, Scuffet, Caracciolo, Denoon, Primasso, Correia, Esteves, Minisini, Ghizzani, Bendinelli, Ferrah, Moreo
Head coach: Paolo Bianco
