Monaco – Lyon SOCCER PICKS
For the biggest drama after Grace Kelly developed in Monaco this season the coach question at the AS. First, the longtime coach Leonardo Jardim was scored to achieve a turnaround with the help of Thierry Henry. A task that the coach-novice was not equal to, which is why Jardim is sitting on the coach chair since the end of January. A Volte in the coach business, which is not to be experienced every day – but the recycling of the Portuguese seems to prove itself. Although he started with a League Cup defeat at EA Guingamp, but in Ligue 1 came back with him the success. Only a threesome against Toulouse at home, by the way, the first home win this season and following a draw at the strong kickers of Montpellier and because it was so nice, equal to once again a home win against FC Nantes.
A record that can be seen and AS Monaco after the last matchday for the first time in a very long time again brought a non-relegation zone. In stable form, however, is also the upcoming opponent Olympique Lyon. Currently, the Gones are in third place and up to a defeat at OGC Nice two weeks ago and a defeat in the League Cup against Racing Strasbourg none of the other games was lost in the calendar year. At Monaco against Lyon, the odds see the guests in a slight favorites.
Monaco:
How bare the nerves at Thierry Henry after the grueling relegation battle with Monaco at some point, could be seen in mid-January when he insulted in the match against Strasbourg with Kenny Lala an opponent player due to a timed game. Already there it was clear that his first coaching station is nearing the end again. Only one game later it was time: After the next defeat in the League Cup against the second division from Metz Henry was off his job. What came next was already unexpected – with Leonardo Jardim, the ex-coach dismissed in the first round again took over the helm in the Principality. A decision that pays off however: since his return, Monaco has been unbeaten in the league since three games and scored, among other things, the first two home successes of the season.
However, the Portuguese also benefited from the fact that in the winter break once again the transfer market was vigorously mixed. One example is midfield midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, who scored the first home win against Toulouse. Another reinforcement is Fodé Ballo-Touré in the defense, who also plays for the U21 national team of France and was committed by the OSC Lille. In addition, with the Brazilian Naldo brought a veteran for the defensive, this change is rather questionable, since the 36-year-old is still well above his zenith and in the first games equaled twice red. The fact that Jardim is not really convinced by this type of staff is shown by the last matchday, for example, when Naldo was actually available again after being suspended, but nevertheless only sat down on the bench.
In addition, the hospital in Monaco has somewhat thinned. While Henry often had to send a half U19 team to the field due to injuries, whose names are meanwhile even more to be found on the bench, the personal options for Jardim are now again much more diverse. Still vulnerable is the defense of Monaco. She also scored three goals in the three league games under Jardim and two in the Cup against Guingamp. Only against Nantes last weekend she reached a clean sheet for the first time.
Lyon:
A goalless draw in the Champions League against Barcelona drew up last Wednesday Olympique Lyon. For the Gones not a bad result, although the draw was quite happy, as the Spanish champions was clearly game-defining. Also in the Ligue 1, OL presents itself very strongly in the last weeks. The highlight was the win against Paris Saint-Germain in early February, which made this experience in this season in the domestic league first time. A small damper, however, was the 0: 1 at Nice a week later. But more than a slip-up did not represent the bankruptcy on the Cote d’Azur, because then followed the next victory against EA Guingamp.
Nabil Fekir, who had already scored his eighth goal of the season, made the decisive goal to make it 2-1 in the match, making him the best goalkeeper in the seven-time champions. In the game against Monaco, he can also go well because he did not play against Barcelona due to a card lock. The fact that his team still got a draw, as I said, shows that last year’s third is not only Fekir in great shape. Specifically, the offensive is situated very diverse: read at several unerring players such as Moussa Dembele (7), Houssem Aouar (6), Bertrand Traore (6) and last year’s top scorers on the part of Lyon, Dutchman Memphis Depay (5).
