Nantes vs Monaco

Two sides that have experienced contrasting fortunes across the first two 2023/24 Ligue 1 rounds lock horns as Nantes entertain Monaco at the Stade de la Beaujoire.

One point was all that stood between Nantes and relegation to Ligue 2 last season, but they have seemingly failed to learn their lesson, at least based on the opening two Ligue 1 rounds. After letting a 1-0 halftime lead slip through their fingers in a 2-1 opening-day loss to Toulouse on home soil, Pierre Aristouy’s men succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at Lille last time out. Lapses in concentration in the latter stages of play have seen all four goals Nantes have conceded this term come beyond the 60th minute. Despite helping ‘Les Canaris’ stay afloat last season, Aristouy’s future could be in the balance unless he finds a way to end Nantes’ underwhelming run of form against a Monaco side they most recently defeated in Ligue 1 in 2017.

Indeed, Monaco’s recent league encounters against Nantes have mostly been plain sailing for the club from the French principality, with seven wins and three draws in their last ten meetings. That record indicates that the visitors’ flawless two-game start to the new Ligue 1 campaign (W2) could spread to round three. Following an impressive 4-2 comeback win at Clermont on the opening weekend, Monaco thumped Strasbourg 3-0 at home last time out to seize control of the top spot in the division. Adi Hutter’s men have been too hot to handle in the early stages of play, bagging 2+ first-half goals in both top-flight outings this term. The continuation of their free-scoring form is a virtual certainty, with ‘Les Monégasques’ netting multiple times in both last season’s Ligue 1 H2Hs (W1, D1).