Paris draw in Monaco
In a match that was as hard-fought as it was dangerous, Paris Saint-Germain managed to hold Monaco to a goalless draw on Ligue 1 Round 24. Here's a look back at the match!
Following on from Stade Brestois and Stade Rennais, Paris Saint-Germain faced another high-flying opponent, AS Monaco, on Friday night. It was a perilous trip for Luis Enrique, who went into the clash with a new starting line-up. Deprived of captain Marquinhos and stalwart Danilo, the Spanish coach had opted for a defence built around Mukiele and Beraldo, and led by the equally unprecedented attacking trio of Asensio-Ramos-Mbappé.
More than three months after their first spectacular encounter at the Parc des Princes (5-2), the two best attacks in the league met in the principality with the firm intention, this time, of conceding fewer goals... And they did just that!
Monaco were expected to be out for revenge, and they were quick to set out the strategy to achieve their aim: pushing the Parisians back as far as possible in order to suffocate them. With their formidable individual talent, Monaco gave our defence a run for its money, and our Rouge et Bleus had their work cut out as they looked to weather the storm at the Stade Louis-II. But we must also salute the performance of Gigio Donnarumma, who made some incredible saves in the first half, keeping his side in the game by denying Balogun (4'), Minamino (15'), Akliouche (28', 47') and Ben Yedder (43').
After a one-sided first half, Luis Enrique's men had to find a way out of the Monegasque trap. After the introduction of Barcola just before the break, the Parisian coach relied on the freshness of Randal Kolo Muani at the start of the second period - and then Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembélé ten minutes later - to breathe new life into his team. And it paid off, as Paris managed not only to shake off Monaco's pressure, but also to finally create some danger in their opponents' box, with Barcola (61', 67'), Kolo Muani (64') and Vitinha (75') all creating clear-cut chances and getting shots on target. Not much was lacking to make the most of this moment of strength - just the slightest bit of good fortune, perhaps, to crystallise our Rouge et Bleus' growing momentum against a fine Monaco side.
And while Paris may return to the capital with just a single point, this match, as enjoyable as it was open, will still provide plenty of lessons to be learned for the future. What's more, the draw saw Paris Saint-Germain continue their incredible unbeaten run! Now it's on to the Champions League, with a much-anticipated second leg against Real Sociedad in San Sebastian on Tuesday! Another big appointment, this time on the other side of the Pyrénées, looms on the horizon...