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Preview: Embolo hits form for Monaco

Ligue 1 McDonald's is back tomorrow with a pair of matches, and while a clash between LOSC Lille and Olympique Lyonnais may readily catch the eye, Angers SCO's trip to face AS Monaco will serve as a more-than-capable appetizer.
E. DEVIN
Published on 10/31/2024 at 20:00
2-minute read
Breel Embolo has rounded into form for the Principality side

Embolo the man of the moment

AS Monaco will enter this match with a diminished squad -- they'll be deprived of the suspended pair of Vanderson and Jordan Teze, as well as captain Denis Zakaria and forward Folarin Balogun. With the matches coming thick and fast, manager Adi Hütter has had to be creative, and there's some suggestion he'll do just that on Friday, eager to shake off the frustration of last weekend's derby defeat to OGC Nice, even as he acknowledged the visitors' position in the table belies their abilities.

Speaking pre-match, he said, "I have a lot of respect for this SCO team. Most recently they are on a good series, having drew againt Marseille and Toulouse, before beating Saint-Etienne last weekend. So we have to be wary of and have respect for them." That wariness will be somewhat tempered by the form of Breel Embolo who has shaken off a poor start to the season with two goals and an assist in his last two matches.

Abdelli powers Angers

The Breton side have their own dangerous attacker, though, in the form of Brighton loanee Himad Abdelli. The talented 24-year-old has three goals for Le SCO this season, and was among those to find the net in the club's first win of the season, 4-2 last weekend against AS Saint-Étienne. 

That win allowed Angers to move out of the bottom three, and will do wonders for their confidence, as manager Alexandre Dujeux expressed pre-match, "We were waiting for this victory. Certain things allowed us to say that we were getting closer to it, but the important thing now is to make this last."  With an in-form Abdelli and plenty of confidence, Angers will look to spring an upset to start the Ligue 1 weekend. 

Predicted lineups:

AS Monaco (4-2-3-1): Majecki; Singo, Mawissa, Kehrer, Caio Henrique; Camara, Golovin; Akliouche, Minamino, Ben Seghir; Embolo

Angers SCO (4-3-3): Fofana; Arcus, Biumla, Lefort, Hanin; Belkebla, Aholou; Allevinah, Abdelli, El-Melali; Niane

Read more:

>> Himad Abdelli: Angers' key man

>> Preview: LOSC Lille look to keep unbeaten run going against OL

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