Ligue 1: AS Monaco stumble against Lorient ahead of Real Madrid clash

On Friday evening at the Stade Louis-II, AS Monaco endured another difficult encounter in Ligue 1, falling 1-3 to FC Lorient on Matchday 18.

Watched by Prince Albert II and AS Monaco president Dmitri Rybolovlev, the Red and Whites experienced their latest challenging night at the office. Against a Lorient side that had scored just two away goals prior to this match, Monaco slipped to a fourth consecutive defeat – a first since 2018. An equaliser from returning Ansu Fati briefly offered hope, but Sébastien Pocognoli’s men lost control of the game and ultimately went down 1-3. The result leaves Monaco with seven defeats in their last eight Ligue 1 matches, an unprecedented run in the club’s recent history.

Missed opportunities in the first half

The match had nonetheless begun under more favourable circumstances than Monaco’s previous outings. Following a minute of applause in tribute to Rolland Courbis, a two-time French champion with ASM, the Monaco players – wearing black armbands – took control of possession and created a host of dangerous openings.

Folarin Balogun fashioned two early chances, a swivel shot in the second minute and a header in the 7th, but both were denied by Lorient goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo. Mika Biereth also saw his headed effort saved by the Swiss keeper (12’). Although they dominated possession and spent long spells in the opposition half, Monaco once again struggled to convert their opportunities.

And the Red and Whites came very close to being punished. In the 38th minute, Lorient launched a quick transition as Igor Silva pinpointed Bamba Dieng at the penalty spot. The Senegalese striker beat Philipp Köhn, only for his goal to be ruled out due to Pablo Pagis being in an active offside position and interfering with the Monaco goalkeeper (38’, 0-0).

In a sparsely filled Stade Louis-II, with only 4,800 spectators in attendance, the first half ended in a tense atmosphere. The Monaco players trudged back to the dressing room to boos from the crowd, while the Ultras Monaco unfurled a banner demanding the resignation of the club’s management.

Punished again

The second stanza only confirmed the doubts. Despite several attempts from Maghnes Akliouche (56’, 58’, 63’), Monaco failed to create any real danger, and this sterile dominance was eventually punished.

In the 68th minute, a completely miscued cross from Caio Henrique gifted Lorient an opportunity. Mvogo immediately sprung a counter toward Dieng, who proved far quicker and more incisive than Eric Dier. The forward raced through on goal and beat Köhn (0-1, 68’).

Hope quickly extinguished

Monaco then found the resources to respond. Coming back after many weeks on the sidelines, Fati reignited hope among the home fans. After some aggressive harrying from Vanderson and a clever pass from Balogun, the Spanish international was initially stopped by Mvogo before subsequently steering the ball into the net (1-1, 76’).

But the hope was short-lived. Five minutes from the end of regulation time, Lorient regained the lead. Picked out by a cutback from Dermane Karim, Jean-Victor Makengo saw his effort slip between Denis Zakaria’s legs, deflect off Dier and wrong-foot Köhn (1-2, 85’).

The final blow came two minutes later. Unstoppable since entering as a substitute, the dazzling Karim curled a sumptuous shot into the top corner after yet again exploiting Dier’s poor positioning (1-3, 87’). The goal allowed Lorient to extend their unbeaten league run to nine matches.

Still missing eleven players, and despite the first start for new signing Wout Faes, ASM are enduring a tricky period in the league, just days before a tough trip to Real Madrid.

Pocognoli: “We expect more from certain players”

In the post-match press conference, Pocognoli did not hide his frustration. “It’s disappointing because our players showed too much complacency tonight. Against a deep-lying defence, you have to have the courage to break through the lines, to play forward. We didn’t do that, even though we worked on it this week,” lamented the Belgian manager.

As he does every week, the Monaco coach also addressed the difficulties linked to a decimated squad. “We know we have players returning from injury and others who have just arrived – a small group. Does that explain everything? I’m trying to find answers,” he explained, aware of the lack of solutions at his disposal.

Real Madrid awaits

When asked about the upcoming trip to the Santiago Bernabéu, Pocognoli nevertheless remained defiant, stating: “It’s not the best way to prepare for this match, but we’ve already proven that we can rise to the occasion on big European nights.” Regarding his future, the coach was keen to emphasise his determination. “Giving up would certainly not be an option, not for me, not for the players, and not for the club,” he asserted.

Having shown great promise in major European clashes this season, Les Monégasques will now look to the continental stage to regain momentum, with a prestigious visit to the Santiago Bernabéu in their sights.