Ligue 1: AS Monaco lose heavily to Lyon in their first game of 2026
A difficult evening for AS Monaco at the Louis II stadium © AS Monaco
Reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute, AS Monaco fell 1-3 to Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade Louis-II.
Good resolutions were in short supply for the Monégasque side. In their first outing of 2026, the Red and Whites were undone by a series of setbacks under the watchful eye of Prince Albert II in the stands. Early injuries, a goal ruled out by VAR and the dismissal of Mamadou Coulibaly, despite his equaliser just before the break, proved too much to overcome.
The defeat further deepens the club’s crisis: just one win from their last seven Ligue 1 matches.
A complicated physical situation
The match could hardly have started worse for ASM. Just seven minutes in, Finnish goalkeeper Lukás Hrádecký was forced off, making way for Philipp Köhn.
Already without Denis Zakaria (suspended), Lamine Camara and Krépin Diatta (at the Africa Cup of Nations), as well as several injured players, Sébastien Pocognoli nonetheless opted to retain the winning line-up from the Coupe de France victory over AJ Auxerre. The misfortune continued in the 32nd minute when Christian Mawissa – already with heavy strapping on his right leg – was forced to leave the field, further compounding Monaco’s crisis, with Kassoum Ouattara introduced in his place.
On the pitch, the spectacle struggled to ignite. The opening 20 minutes produced just seven minutes of effective playing time, emblematic of a disjointed and tightly contested affair. Monaco still managed to threaten through Aleksandr Golovin (4’) and Coulibaly (15’), but were denied by a solid Dominik Greif. At the other end, Köhn was similarly alert, producing a fine stop to keep out Afonso Moreira on 28 minutes as the score remained level.
An end to the first half where things accelerated
Lyon broke the deadlock in the 38th minute from a corner. Corentin Tolisso picked out Nicolás Tagliafico at the near post, whose flick-on fell to Pavel Šulc. The Czech forward shrugged off Folarin Balogun before steering his finish into the far corner (0–1). Monaco endured a difficult spell but found a way back in stoppage time.
Released in behind, Balogun battled with Clinton Mata and forced the ball loose, allowing Coulibaly to pounce and bundle it home following a failed clearance from Greif (45+4’, 1-1). After eight minutes of added time, both sides went in level.
A disallowed goal that changes everything
After the interval, the Monégasques showed greater intent. Balogun saw an effort deflected for a corner on 51 minutes, from which Thilo Kehrer headed in Caio Henrique’s delivery and briefly thought he had put ASM ahead. VAR, however, intervened to rule out the goal for a marginal foul on a Lyon player in the box.
Just five minutes later, Lyon made Monaco pay. Šulc completed his brace with a powerful long-range strike that beat Köhn (56’, 1-2), punishing a Monégasque defence once again caught flat-footed.
The decisive moment came in the 70th minute. Goalscorer Coulibaly was shown a red card for a high boot that struck Tagliafico in the throat. While it was more alarming than harmful, the Argentine World Cup winner was able to continue. Down to 10 men, the Monégasques failed to pose any further threat. Lyon capitalised on their numerical advantage, with Abner extending the lead after being set up by Tagliafico (79’, 1-3).
Monaco were left to rue a nasty loss that leaves them seven points adrift of Lyon in the standings, a setback that significantly complicates their push for European qualification.
The club is analysing the situation internally
Speaking in the mixed zone, general manager Thiago Scuro did not hide his frustration with the club’s current state, especially the mounting injury problems. “We cannot consider this a normal situation,” he explained. He also confirmed that internal discussions would take place to identify the causes while accepting his share of responsibility.
Despite suffering their sixth defeat in seven league games, Scuro expressed continued confidence in Pocognoli, insisting that the manager is “the right person for the next steps”. He also reiterated that Champions League qualification remains a key objective, noting that reinforcements are expected during the winter transfer window, particularly to cover for Takumi Minamino’s injury.
Frustrated, Scuro pointed to refereeing decisions that influenced the last two league games against Lyon and Marseille. “For me, Kehrer’s goal was completely legal; it should have stood, and it could have changed the course of the match,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pocognoli exhibited determination despite the disappointment of the defeat. “The taste is even more bitter given the way the encounter unfolded,” he admitted. Asked about his own situation, he refused to be discouraged. “I especially need to feel the flame that drives me – and it is very much alive,” he asserted. The coach lamented that the players’ efforts were, in his view, undone by uncontrollable factors, commenting: “The last two games have cost us points due to refereeing decisions.”
Pocognoli’s team will need to bounce back quickly, and the Coupe de France offers the perfect opportunity. The Red and Whites travel to US Orléans next Saturday for the round of 16, a high-stakes match where victory will be essential to keeping European qualification hopes alive.