Preview: Paris FC vs. Monaco - prediction, team news, lineups

Champions League-chasing Monaco head to the capital to take on Paris FC at Stade Jean Bouin in Friday’s Ligue 1 action, aware of the possibility of entering the coveted top four after this weekend’s 29th round.

The Red and Whites have claimed six consecutive top-flight victories, and they aim for a seventh against an opponent looking to win three straight league matches on their turf for the first time since returning to the top tier.

Match preview

Paris FC’s decision to part ways with Stephane Gilli in February has proven to be a short-term masterstroke, with the capital club’s form justifying the call.

The Parisians were a place and six points clear of Auxerre in 16th after Gilli’s last game in round 23, but Antoine Kombouare has so far gone five matches without losing to place them 13th in the table, nine points above the relegation playoff spot.

Kombouare’s side have secured two wins and claimed three draws since the start of March, with both successes coming in Paris.

Having previously notched just two wins at Stade Jean Bouin under the former head coach, consecutive victories over Nice (1-0) and Le Havre (3-2) mean the league returnees could secure three home wins on the trot for the first time since their top-flight comeback.

That outcome will require the hosts to do the double over the league’s most in-form side, having defeated Monaco 1-0 in the Principality in November, a result that ended a five-match losing run against Les Monegasques, albeit between 1974 and 1979.

Beating Sebastien Pocognoli’s men will be an undeniably tough challenge, especially as last year’s third-placed side find themselves on the cusp of rising into the top-four positions with six games remaining.

Top of the form table after winning six in a row, the fifth-placed Monegasques could leave the position, guaranteeing a Europa League spot for fourth place, replacing Marseille to occupy a qualifying spot for Europe’s premier club competition, or supplant Lille into third, a position that assures outright involvement.

While they have reason to feel optimistic about leapfrogging Marseille, who have suffered two defeats on the trot, Lille may be a trickier challenge, considering that Les Dogues are unbeaten in eight Ligue 1 matches, winning five of their last six.

Nevertheless, Monaco, on 49 points, are doing their prospects no harm, and the one-point difference from the side in third means they are in a favourable position to exploit any mistakes Lille (50) or Marseille (49) make in their bid to feature in next season’s Champions League.

Indeed, with the visitors unbeaten on their travels in 2026, winning three on the spin after playing out two goalless encounters against Le Havre and Nice, the travelling fans will back their side to claim a fourth away success in a row.

Paris FC Ligue 1 form:

Monaco Ligue 1 form:

Monaco form (all competitions):

Team News

Although Rudy Matondo returns from suspension, the hosts are without several players due to injury, with Jean-Philippe Krasso (knee), Julien Lopez (back), Pierre-Yves Hamel (calf), Vincent Marchetti (back), Tuomas Ollila (calf), Sofiane Alakouch and Remy Riou sidelined, while Ciro Immobile is struggling with illness.

While Ilan Kebbal has neither scored nor assisted since late January, the attacking midfielder could return to the XI this weekend, aiming to add to his 12 goal contributions this season (eight goals, two assists).

That number is seven clear of Moses Simon — three goals and two assists — despite two of the Nigerian’s strikes being game-clinching efforts, one more than Kebbal’s single match-winner.

Only four players — Wesley Said (six), Joaquin Panichelli, Mason Greenwood and Ousmane Dembele (all five) — have scored more decisive strikes than Monaco’s Folarin Balogun’s four, with the USMNT forward’s effort deciding last weekend’s victory against Champions League rivals Marseille, bringing him to 10 Ligue 1 goals.

While they did not appear to suffer any injury issues against the Olympians, the fifth-placed side are without Caio Henrique (thigh), Kassoum Ouattara (knee), Paris Brunner (hamstring), Vanderson and long-term ACL absentees Takumi Minamino and Mohammed Salisu.

Paris FC possible starting lineup:

Trapp; Camara, Coppola, Mbow, Sangui; Munetsi, Lees-Melou, Matondo; Ikone, Geubbels, Simon

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Hradecky; Kehrer, Zakaria, Faes; Teze, Coulibaly, Camara, Mawissa; Akliouche, Golovin; Balogun