AS Monaco Faces Challenges Ahead of Ligue 1 Opener Against Le Havre

AS Monaco head to Normandy this weekend carrying both momentum and problems.

Fresh from a 3-2 win over Górnik Zabrze in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League playoff, the Principality club open their Ligue 1 campaign away at Le Havre AC. It will be just the second competitive match in charge for new manager Filipe Luís, and already he is juggling a stretched squad and a demanding schedule.

Luís’ options already under strain

The Brazilian coach will have to improvise. Christian Mawissa is suspended, while Jordan Teze, Ansu Fati and summer signing Mattias Abline are all sidelined through injury. On top of that, two of Monaco’s key attacking figures, Takumi Minamino and Folarin Balogun, have been left out of the matchday squad to be rested after Thursday night’s European exertions.

The absences strip Luís of experience and firepower. They also accelerate the integration of his new faces.

Manchester City loanee Mathys Detourbet is expected to keep his place and make a second straight start in midfield after his debut in Europe. The same goes for centre-back Sadibou Sané, recruited from Metz in the summer and thrown straight into the action in continental competition.

On the left, Flávio Nazinho is set for his first competitive start in Monaco colours. Signed from Cercle Brugge, the full-back now looks poised to be trusted from the off in Ligue 1, a clear sign of how quickly Luís is prepared to lean on his newcomers.

A reshaped Monaco XI

With rotation unavoidable, Monaco are likely to line up at Le Havre with a side that already bears the stamp of their new coach.

Projected XI v Le Havre: Lukas Hradecky; Flávio Nazinho, Eric Dier, Sadibou Sané, Vanderson; Mathys Detourbet, Lamine Camara, Denis Zakaria, Mamadou Coulibaly; Mika Biereth, Aleksandr Golovin. (L’Éq)

European qualifiers on Thursday, a Ligue 1 opener on Sunday, a new manager, and a patched-up squad: Monaco’s season is barely underway, and the margin for error is already thin.