Two days before Monaco/PSG, the advanced match of the 16th day of Ligue 1, the absentees from both camps are becoming clearer and will be much more numerous on the Monegasque side than on the Parisian side.
No time to breathe for PSG, who after their great 3-0 victories in Salzburg and 3-1 against OL continue this Wednesday evening with a trip to Monaco as part of the 16th day of Ligue 1. This match was initially scheduled to be played on Sunday January 5, but on this date, PSG will face… Monaco in the Champions Trophy.
The same three absent as against Lyon on the PSG side?
Against OL on Sunday evening, Luis Enrique had no injured players and could afford not to call Presnel KimpembeMilan Skriniar and Randal First Class. Given that he believes that the first is still too fair and that he does not count on the other two, it is very likely that these three players will be out of the group again against Monaco.
Luis Enrique was also able to spare the playing time of certain players against Lyon by leaving MarquinhosBradley Stagger or encore Gonçalo Ramos on the bench at kick-off and coming off around the hour mark Lee Kang-in, Nuno Mendes or Lucas Beraldowho was aligned right axial against the Lyonnais. The first three mentioned will probably start for this Monaco/PSG.
PSG has no player suspended for his trip to the Principality, nor any injured a priori, and Luis Enrique will therefore be able to summon the most competitive group possible to challenge Monaco this Wednesday evening, knowing that he will only be able to name 20 names on the match sheet, as he did not fail to point out on Sunday evening when justifying the non-call-ups of Kimpembe, Kolo Muani and Skriniar.
A cascade of injuries and one suspended on the Monaco side
On the AS Monaco side, the infirmary is full and got even fuller before challenging PSG. Starting against Reims on Saturday (0-0), the young and versatile defender Christian in Maw (capable of playing in the center as well as on the left) injured his right hamstring and is out of the Parisian leader’s visit, as his coach Adi Hütter confirmed this Monday at a press conference. According to L’Equipe, he could be absent for around a month and also miss the Champions Trophy against PSG on January 5 in Doha.
The Monegasque coach also announced this Monday four months of absence for his Anglo-American striker Folarin Balogun (who will have shoulder surgery this Tuesday) and recorded the withdrawal for Monaco/PSG of his Polish goalkeeper Radoslaw Majeckifrom his Senegalese winger Krépin Diatta as well as his young French midfielders Edan Diop and Mamadou Coulibalyall injured.
Touched during the warm-up against Toulouse on December 7, then forfeited against Arsenal and Reims, the Swiss captain of Monaco Denis Zakaria is still uncertain about the arrival of PSG and Adi Hütter announced that he would make a decision this Tuesday. “He trained on Sunday. We have to see with him and the medical staff if he plays, taking into account the busy schedule that awaits us in January.”said the Austrian.
Finally, AS Monaco will have a player suspended for the visit of the Parisian leader. This is the Dutch right-back Jordan Soonwho started on Saturday in Reims in the absence of the Brazilian Vanderson. The latter was suspended against the Rémois, but will be back against PSG and logically starts on the right of the Monegasque defense.
Belgium
