Monaco return to winning ways against Rennes

AS Monaco secured their first win in Ligue 1 McDonald's since 29th November 2025, as they beat Stade Rennais at the Stade Louis II in comprehensive fashion (4-0).

Monaco net with first clear chance

Monaco's best chances in the opening knockings came when Rennes lost the ball in their own half. It was an intercepted Jérémy Jacquet pass that gave Folarin Balogun the space to gallop into. He combined with Kassoum Ouattara, but the pair failed to work a shot on goal from a promising situation (6').

But it was another high turnover that did yield a shot and one that almost gave the Principality club the lead as captain Denis Zakaria struck the outside of the post with a curled effort (16').

But it was at the other end that the goalkeeper was busier. Philipp Kohn made two simple saves from Moussa Al-Taamari (5') and then Esteban Lepaul (9'), before then being more thoroughly tested by Mahdi Camara, who forced the Swiss shot-stopper to get down quickly to his left (18').

When tested, Brice Samba did not have the answer down the other end as Monaco hit the target and hit the front thanks to Ansu Fati, who latched onto Balogun's ball, through, and finished from a tight angle (33').

ANSU FATI GOAL ALERT 🇪🇸🚨 pic.twitter.com/kDTf7HRHzW
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) January 31, 2026

But Samba was then decisive, keeping the deficit to just one goal on the stroke of half-time as he palmed Balogun's goal-bound effort to safety (45+4').

Monaco's substitutes decisive

The goalscorer, Fati, ceded his place at half-time, and his replacement, Maghnes Akliouche, did give Monaco breathing room. He was in the right place when Outtara's shot blasted off the inside of the post. The ball initially deflected into the path of Aleksandr Golovin, whose poor touch was right into the path of Akliouche, who made no mistake, touching into the empty net (50').

The game then entered into a critical period, with the next goal clearly crucial. Rennes thought they had got it when Lepaul slid home (52'), only for the offside flag to deny him. And then came the sucker-punch, Mamadou Coulibaly played in by Mika Biereth. The Frenchman stayed calm to finish through Samba's legs (59').

Biereth, who had an assist off the bench, then went close himself, but Samba was equal to the Denmark international's well-hit drilled effort (64'). Monaco would get a fourth through Stanis Idumbo (89'), another player off the bench who made his mark.

Sébastien Pocognoli will be hoping that this win, their first in Ligue 1 McDonald's in just over two months, will be a turning point in their season. It is Rennes, whoever, who remain sixth - for now - with Monaco provisionally up to 10th.

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