Preview: Auxerre vs Monaco - prediction, team news, lineups

The lone Coupe de France round of 64 fixture featuring two top-flight sides will see Monaco travelling to Stade de l’Abbe Deschamps on Sunday for a date with Auxerre.

In this tournament last season, the Burgundy club were upset 1-0 by Dunkerque in this phase, while Les Monegasques lost on penalties to Reims in the round of 32.

Match preview

All season long, AJA have been hovering near the bottom of the Ligue 1 table, but to their credit, they have been fighting their way back from that position in recent weeks.

Christophe Pelissier’s men will end 2025 above the automatic relegation line in 16th place, collecting at least a point in three of their previous four Ligue 1 affairs.

This competition has not been kind to them in recent years, as they have exited the Coupe de France in the round of 64 in each of their previous two campaigns.

Nine of their 11 points collected domestically this season have come at Stade de l’Abbe Deschamps, while their five defeats were by just a single goal.

At the same time they have wound up on the losing end of their last three Coupe de France encounters on home soil, failing to find the back of the net in two of those outings.

Auxerre have not won a competitive game against the Principality club since a 2009 Ligue 1 affair at Stade Louis II when they walked away with a 1-0 triumph.

Down the stretch of 2025, we have seen a mixed bag of results from Monaco, who have proven to be rather inconsistent in both the league and in Europe.

Sebastien Pocognoli’s side have not lost consecutive competitive games since early to mid-November, but have also not won two in a row since late October.

Away from home, they are winless in four consecutive competitive encounters, having been shut out on two of those occasions.

Not since a 2-1 at Sochaux have they lost an away match in this tournament in normal time, advancing from their previous 10 round of 64 affairs as the visitors.

Meanwhile, they have gone on to win two of their previous three Coupe de France games versus sides that were in Ligue 1 at the time.

Monaco have won their last seven competitive fixtures against Auxerre, while emerging victorious in their only prior Coupe de France visit to Stade de l’Abbe Deschamps on penalties in 1992.

Auxerre form (all competitions):

Monaco form (all competitions):

Team News

A cruciate ligament injury will keep Nathan Buayi-Kiala out of the Auxerre fold this weekend, while captain Elisha Owusu could be out with a knock and Telli Siwe has a knee problem.

As part of a new rule introduced in the French leagues this season, Clement Akpa and Oussama El Azzouzi, who were red-carded in their Ligue 1 defeat to Lille (4-3), will be suspended for this clash, while Danny Loader is with Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations.

On the Monaco side, Eric Dier remains a doubt with a calf strain, Paul Pogba is questionable because of a knee issue, while Jordan Teze will be suspended.

At the same time, they are unlikely to have Ansu Fati or Christian Mawissa at their disposal on Sunday, with both players currently recovering from hamstring strains.

Auxerre possible starting lineup:

De Percin; Sy, Legros, Diomande, Oppegard; Diousse; Danois, Devernois; Sinayoko, Mara, L. Coulibaly

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Lienard; Henrique, Salisu, Kehrer, Ouattara; M. Coulibaly, Bamba; Brunner, Minamino, Idumbo; Ilenikhena

We say: Auxerre 1-1 Monaco (Monaco advances on penalties)

Neither side have been terribly convincing, but Monaco have had Auxerre’s number of late, and we trust that they will be able to hold their nerve when needed, given the experience they have at their disposal.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.