Ligue 1

Paris Saint Germain FC vs AS Monaco FC
Sunday, Jan. 22nd, 2016
Parc des Princes, Paris, France
3:00pm EST

Last week’s Match of the Week between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur didn’t disappoint, particularly in the second half, as it was filled with goals, controversy, and, as predicted, another star performance from Dele Alli.  Hopefully this week will be more of the same, as I’ve chosen the Ligue 1 mega matchup PSG vs Monaco! I’ll provide you with insight on the Ligue 1 table and the implications that this match will have on it, reveal the keys to the game, and provide a LSB prediction.  Let’s get started!

Ligue 1 Table

This Sunday will feature two of France’s top three clubs.  Sitting, atop the table, with a slim two point margin on second placed Nice is Monaco with 48 points out of a possible 63!  That’s an outstanding record of 15 wins, 3 draws, and just 3 losses over 21 matches for Les Rouges et Blancs!  The Red and Whites have been simply dominating opponents all season long. Starting with their offensive attack that’s scored 64 times already!  That’s a three goals per game average, and a whopping 23 more goals scored than the second best offensive squad in Ligue 1, PSG.  Couple that with a defense that ranks fourth in the league with having conceded only 21 times, it’s no wonder why Monaco has been in cruise control atop the table thus far.

Les Parisians meanwhile are currently third in Ligue 1 and three points back of Monaco with 45 points out 63!  Still a great tally and a tremendous record PSG possess’s, but considering that at this stage last season Les Bleus were first in the standings and had obtained an unimaginable 57 points through 21 matches (18 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses), its a bit shocking to see PSG in its current position.  With that said however, this is still a very talented club that is second in the league on goals for and against, and on goal difference.

Therefore, when you add up each club’s success and the tight top of the table race, we should be in for a real treat come Sunday afternoon. If PSG is able to defend its home turf and come away with all three points, then these two will be tied on points and possibly tied for first in Ligue 1.  Conversely, if Monaco is able to pull out a difficult win on the road at the raucous Parc des Princes, then the three point cushion on PSG will be doubled to a staggering six.  And that could just be too much for Les Bleus to come back from.

Keys to the Match

As always, Monaco will be led by its quartet of scintillating scorers in Radamel Falcao, Thomas Lemar, Valere Germain, Guido Carrillo, and Gabriel Boschilia.  This group of five all feature in Ligue 1’s top 15 goalscorer list, with the first four actually in the top 10.  Falcao leads the way with 12 goals this campaign, good for third most overall.  Lastly, this attacking bunch has combined to score 39 of Monaco’s 64 goals this season.  Thus, expect the Red and Whites to steam forward whenever possible, as they attempt to blitzkrieg PSG.

As for Les Parisians, knowing that Monaco is so deadly offensively, the nearly all Brazilian back line must perform admirably.  The defense is led by team captain Thiago Silva at the center of defense, his partners are Serge Aurier, and fellow Selecao men Marquinhos and Maxwell.  This unit must communicate well and keep a tight line from start to finish in order to tame the Monaco onslaught of attacks.  In addition, PSG will need to produce at least a couple of goals in this one. Look no further than the Uruguayan Edinson Cavani.  He’s been red hot thus far this campaign with 20 goals in 19 matches, leading Ligue 1 in scores.  Can he lead the line again on Sunday?

LSB Prediction:

This could quite possibly be the best game of the Ligue 1 season, as two of the league’s heavyweights battle it out in the city of love.  The Les Parisians crowd will be a magical site to see before, during, and after the game.  On the field, the match will be fast paced, edge of your seat entertainment, surely with a Cavani and Falcao score.  But in the end, it’ll be Thiago Silva’s late game heroics that ultimately send his side into the ascendancy.  3-2 Paris Saint Germain FC