AS Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain Match Preview – Ligue 1 2025/26
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Kick-off: 17:00 GMT (18:00 CET)
Venue: Stade Louis-II, Monaco
Competition: Ligue 1 – Matchday 14
Referee: TBC
Match Overview
The iconic Stade Louis-II hosts a compelling Ligue 1 encounter as AS Monaco welcome defending treble champions Paris Saint-Germain in a fixture that carries significant implications for both clubs’ contrasting seasons. This meeting pits a Monaco side in crisis against PSG’s relentless pursuit of another domestic title, with recent form and historical dominance creating overwhelming favorite dynamics.
Paris Saint-Germain sit comfortably atop the Ligue 1 table with 32 points from 13 matches (10 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss), their recent 3-0 victory over Le Havre extending their lead to two points. Luis Enrique’s treble winners from last season—who became the second French club to win the Champions League after defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in the final—have continued their domestic dominance despite occasional European setbacks. Their 157 goals across all competitions in 2025 represents Europe’s highest total, showcasing attacking potency that overwhelms most opponents.
AS Monaco occupy a disappointing 8th position with 20 points from 13 matches (6 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses), their recent form representing one of the season’s most alarming collapses. Three consecutive defeats—including humiliating 4-1 losses to both Lens and Rennes—have transformed title hopefuls into mid-table strugglers. Just three victories from their last eleven matches across all competitions demonstrates systematic issues that tactical adjustments haven’t resolved, with Paul Pogba’s high-profile arrival from Juventus unable to stem the crisis.
The head-to-head record reveals complete PSG dominance in recent years. PSG defeated Monaco twice already this season: 1-0 in January’s French Super Cup (Ousmane Dembélé’s stoppage-time winner) and 4-1 in February’s Ligue 1 meeting at the Parc des Princes. Historical meetings show PSG winning 38 of 115 competitive encounters, with Monaco’s most recent victory dating back years. Can Monaco rediscover their quality and produce a statement performance? Or will PSG’s championship machine continue rolling toward another domestic title? This encounter promises goals, intensity, and potentially definitive moments in Monaco’s troubled campaign.
Current Form Analysis
AS Monaco Form
Ligue 1: L-L-L (Last 3 matches, 8th position with 20 points)
Overall: L-L-L-D-W (Last 5 matches all competitions)
Home Record: 4 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses
Crisis Mode: 3 wins from last 11 matches across all competitions
Monaco’s season has descended from title aspirations to mid-table mediocrity, with recent form representing one of Ligue 1’s most dramatic collapses. Their 20 points from 13 matches leaves them 12 points behind leaders PSG, effectively ending any realistic championship challenge before December. The defensive capitulations—conceding eight goals across consecutive 4-1 defeats—expose systematic vulnerabilities that opponents ruthlessly exploit.
The Lens humiliation at home represented Monaco’s nadir. Leading early through Ansu Fati, they collapsed spectacularly as Lens scored four unanswered goals to secure comprehensive victory. Defensive organization disintegrated, midfield control evaporated, and confidence visibly drained as the match progressed. The Rennes defeat days later confirmed this wasn’t anomaly but crisis—another 4-1 thrashing saw Monaco reduced to ten men after Denis Zakaria’s red card, with their defensive frailties again exposed.
Paul Pogba’s high-profile return to professional football—making his Monaco debut after two years sidelined—was supposed to provide experience and quality that could reverse their fortunes. However, his arrival coincided with their worst run, suggesting individual quality alone cannot address collective issues plaguing the team.
Offensively, Monaco remain dangerous when functioning properly. Ansu Fati leads with six league goals, followed by Florian Balogun (5), Maghnes Akliouche (4), and others contributing regularly. This variety should create problems for any defense, yet recent performances suggest attacking patterns have stagnated and creative fluidity has disappeared.
Adi Hütter faces mounting pressure as results deteriorate. The Austrian manager, who achieved Champions League qualification last season, must find solutions that restore defensive solidity while maintaining attacking threat. Against PSG’s quality, any defensive lapses will be ruthlessly punished.
Paris Saint-Germain Form
Ligue 1: W-W-W-D-W (Last 5 matches, 1st position with 32 points)
Overall: W-W-L-W-W (Last 5 matches all competitions)
Away Record: Excellent—dominate most opponents on the road
Championship Mentality: 45 wins in 2025—more than any European club
Paris Saint-Germain’s pursuit of another domestic title proceeds smoothly despite occasional European frustrations. Their 32 points from 13 matches maintains comfortable two-point cushion atop Ligue 1, with their recent 3-0 dismantling of Le Havre demonstrating clinical efficiency when operating at peak performance. Goals from Lee Kang-in, Joao Neves, and Ousmane Dembélé showcased attacking variety that overwhelms defensive organizations.
Luis Enrique’s tactical system emphasizes controlled possession, positional rotations, and relentless attacking pressure that creates multiple goal-scoring opportunities. Their 157 goals across all competitions in 2025—at least 11 more than second-placed Barcelona—represents European football’s most prolific output. This attacking potency reflects tactical sophistication combined with individual quality throughout the squad.
Their treble triumph last season—Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Champions League titles—established them as European elite. The 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final showcased their capacity to deliver when stakes are highest, with comprehensive dominance establishing PSG as only the second French club to win Europe’s premier competition after Marseille in 1993.
However, defensive vulnerabilities persist. Their 2-1 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich exposed fragility when facing elite attacking quality, while their tendency to win by single-goal margins (50% of victories) suggests occasional struggles converting dominance into comfortable wins. Against Monaco’s attacking threats, defensive concentration will prove crucial.
Key performers include Vitinha (six assists—joint-most in Europe’s top five leagues), Ousmane Dembélé (match-winning quality), Joao Neves (crucial late goals), and the collective quality that makes PSG overwhelming favorites in most fixtures. Their squad depth enables rotation without compromising quality, crucial when managing domestic and European commitments.
Head-to-Head Record
Total Competitive Meetings: 115
PSG Wins: 38
Draws: 29
Monaco Wins: 48
Goals: PSG 140 – Monaco 147
Recent Meetings (2025):
- PSG 4-1 Monaco (Ligue 1, February 7, 2025)
- PSG 1-0 Monaco (French Super Cup, January 5, 2025)
The head-to-head record historically favors Monaco with 48 victories across 115 competitive meetings, though recent encounters tell a starkly different story. PSG have dominated modern meetings, winning both fixtures this season comprehensively. The 4-1 Ligue 1 thrashing at the Parc des Princes showcased PSG’s superior quality, with Monaco competing briefly before PSG’s relentless pressure yielded comfortable victory.
The French Super Cup encounter in Doha represented competitive drama—PSG created 27 chances (nine on target) yet couldn’t break deadlock until Ousmane Dembélé’s stoppage-time winner secured trophy. That match demonstrated Monaco’s capacity to frustrate PSG temporarily through defensive organization, though ultimately quality prevailed.
The psychological advantage overwhelmingly favors PSG. Having defeated Monaco twice already this season—including one comprehensive thrashing—they enter with confidence and tactical blueprints proven effective. Monaco must overcome not only PSG’s quality but also mental scars from recent humiliations, making their task nearly impossible.
Team News and Injuries
AS Monaco
Key Players Available:
- Philipp Köhn (Goalkeeper) – First-choice shot-stopper
- Thilo Kehrer (Defender) – Most frequently booked (4 cards)
- Paul Pogba (Midfielder) – Made return debut after 2-year absence
- Ansu Fati (Forward) – Leading scorer with 6 goals
- Florian Balogun (Striker) – 5 goals, clinical finisher
- Maghnes Akliouche (Midfielder) – 4 goals, creative threat
Monaco approach this fixture with near-full squad availability, though confidence rather than personnel represents their primary concern. Paul Pogba’s availability provides experience and quality, though his recent debut coincided with the Rennes thrashing, suggesting his integration requires time.
Ansu Fati leads the scoring charts despite recent struggles, his six league goals demonstrating clinical finishing ability when supplied adequately. The former Barcelona winger provides pace, movement, and goal-scoring threat that PSG must respect despite Monaco’s recent defensive collapses overshadowing attacking quality.
Paris Saint-Germain
Key Players Available:
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Goalkeeper) – Italian international shot-stopper
- Marquinhos (Defender, Captain) – Defensive leader
- Vitinha (Midfielder) – 6 assists, joint-most in Europe’s top 5 leagues
- Ousmane Dembélé (Forward) – Match-winning quality
- Bradley Barcola (Winger) – Pace and directness
- Joao Neves (Midfielder) – Crucial late goals
PSG’s squad depth and quality vastly exceed Monaco’s resources. Vitinha’s creative excellence (six assists already this season) orchestrates attacks, while Dembélé’s match-winning ability—demonstrated by his Super Cup winner against Monaco—creates constant goal-scoring threats. Joao Neves has emerged as an unlikely hero, scoring crucial late winners that have defined PSG’s season.
Luis Enrique faces rotation decisions following midweek Champions League exertions against Tottenham. Balancing European ambitions with domestic dominance creates tactical challenges, though PSG’s quality enables rotation without compromising effectiveness.
Tactical Analysis
Monaco’s Desperation
Adi Hütter must construct a tactical approach that withstands PSG’s quality while creating attacking threats to secure desperately needed points. Monaco will likely deploy a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 formation, seeking defensive stability before considering attacking ambitions.
Against PSG’s possession dominance, Monaco cannot press aggressively without creating spaces that PSG exploit effortlessly. Instead, they’ll sit in a mid-block defensive shape, denying space between lines and forcing PSG to break them down through patient build-up. This approach requires extraordinary concentration and fitness, as defending for 90+ minutes against relentless pressure exhausts even elite teams.
Counter-attacks represent Monaco’s only realistic route to goal. If they can win possession and immediately transition forward with pace, targeting spaces behind PSG’s high line, they might create isolated opportunities. Ansu Fati’s pace and Balogun’s clinical finishing provide genuine threats when supplied in dangerous positions.
Expected Monaco Tactics:
- 4-4-2 defensive formation prioritizing compactness
- Mid-block shape denying central spaces
- Limited pressing conserving energy
- Rare counter-attacks targeting pace
- Defensive discipline as foundation
- Accepting territorial disadvantage
PSG’s Championship Machine
Luis Enrique has constructed European football’s most sophisticated attacking system, emphasizing controlled possession, positional rotations, and relentless pressure. PSG typically deploy a 4-3-3 formation, with flexibility to adjust based on opponent and game state.
Against Monaco’s expected defensive approach, PSG will dominate possession comfortably, likely exceeding 65% ball retention. Their build-up emphasizes short combinations from the back, with defenders comfortable progressing through midfield lines while fullbacks push high to provide width.
The attacking structure creates constant overloads through intelligent positioning. Vitinha orchestrates from deep, combining defensive screening with progressive passing that initiates attacks. Dembélé and Barcola provide width and directness, their pace and dribbling ability troubling fullbacks. Central attackers time runs perfectly, finishing clinically when supplied in dangerous positions.
Expected PSG Tactics:
- 4-3-3 formation dominating possession
- High defensive line compressing play
- Relentless attacking pressure
- Quick combinations unlocking defenses
- Multiple goal-scoring threats
- Patient build-up when facing deep blocks
Statistical Insights
Monaco:
- 24 goals scored, 21 conceded (13 matches)
- 67% matches feature over 2.5 goals
- Recent defensive collapses: 8 goals conceded in last 2 matches
- Home form: 4-1-2 (respectable but declining)
PSG:
- League-leading attack and solid defense
- 157 goals in 2025 across all competitions (Europe’s most)
- 45 wins in 2025—more than any European club
- Away form excellent: Dominate most opponents
Betting Context: PSG overwhelming favorites at 1.66 odds. Monaco priced around 5.10 for upset. Draw at 4.72. Over 2.5 goals likely given both teams’ attacking quality and Monaco’s defensive vulnerability.
Correct Score Prediction
AS Monaco 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain
This scoreline reflects PSG’s overwhelming quality, Monaco’s defensive crisis, and PSG’s historical dominance in this fixture. PSG will control proceedings from the opening whistle, creating chances through sustained possession and attacking pressure.
Monaco may score through a counter-attack or set-piece—Ansu Fati or Balogun capitalizing on rare opportunity—but PSG’s quality will ultimately overwhelm their vulnerable defense. Multiple PSG goals from different scorers will confirm comprehensive victory that consolidates their title challenge while further damaging Monaco’s confidence.
Final Verdict
Prediction: AS Monaco 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain will secure a comprehensive away victory that extends their Ligue 1 lead and confirms their status as overwhelming title favorites. Monaco’s crisis deepens as PSG’s championship machine demonstrates the quality gulf between title contenders and mid-table strugglers.
Why PSG Will Win Convincingly:
- Quality Differential: PSG’s treble-winning squad vastly exceeds Monaco’s current capabilities
- Monaco’s Crisis: 3 consecutive defeats including two 4-1 thrashings
- Historical Dominance: PSG won both 2025 meetings (4-1 league, 1-0 Super Cup)
- Attacking Potency: 157 goals in 2025—Europe’s most prolific output
- Championship Mentality: 45 wins in 2025—more than any European club
Key Factors:
- PSG top of Ligue 1 with 32 points, Monaco 8th with 20
- Monaco’s defensive collapses (8 goals conceded in last 2 matches)
- PSG won 4-1 and 1-0 in previous 2025 meetings
- Monaco won just 3 of last 11 matches across all competitions
- PSG’s 157 goals in 2025 demonstrates attacking dominance
- Vitinha’s 6 assists—joint-most in Europe’s top 5 leagues
Paris Saint-Germain’s combination of individual quality, tactical sophistication, championship mentality, and Monaco’s defensive crisis makes comprehensive victory inevitable. Monaco will compete gamely but lack the organization and confidence to prevent defeat. The 1-3 scoreline reflects current dynamics—PSG’s relentless title pursuit overwhelming Monaco’s crisis at the Stade Louis-II.
