Champions League Preview: PSG-Monaco
After a nervy 3-2 win at the Stade-Louis II in the first leg of their Champions League tie, PSG and Monaco will play the second tomorrow in Paris -- get the latest with our match preview as the two Ligue 1 McDonald's sides go head-to-head.
No Dembélé, no problem?
Having bounced back from a 3-1 loss to Stade Rennais in Ligue 1 McDonald's last weekend with a controlled win over FC Metz to reclaim to spot, Paris Saint-Germain will be well up for this second leg at what's sure to be a lively atmosphere at the Parc des Princes. They will, however, have to deal with the absence of Ousmane Dembélé, the Ballon d'Or winner having not been included in the squad as he recovers from injury.
His replacement will likely come in the form of Désiré Doué, as the in-form young Frenchman (a brace in the first leg, and a goal against Metz in the league) will be asked to play as a false nine, given manager Luis Enrique's preference for using his other nominal strike, Gonçalo Ramos, off the bench. With Fabián Ruiz also unavailable, Warren Zaïre-Emery should start in midfield, but the rest of the eleven should be first choice, including Matvey Safonov in goal.
Speaking pre-match, Doué underscored that despite the Monégasques having caught them cold with two early goals by Folarin Balogun, the capital side will take their resilience away from the first leg more than anything. "Coming back from 2-0 down, especially away, is very hard. I think that one of the things that made a difference was our mindset, and that's something that we need to have again."
Ansu Fati is balling 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NJ4keg7twN
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) February 23, 2026
Akliouche back in the fold
As for their opponents, they'll also have key absences in the form of Aleksandr Golovin, who was sent off in the first leg after receiving a red card, as well as long-term absentees Takumi Minamino and Mohammed Salisu. Manager Sébastien Pocognoli will be eager to welcome back Maghnes Akliouche, though. The young Frenchman had an assist in the first leg but missed the team's win over Lens at the weekend, and will be key as Monaco know that nothing less than a win will allow them to progress.
Akliouche is in the frame to start, and with Monaco likely out of contention for the top four in the league and having been eliminated from the Coupe de France, Pocognoli is likely to risk everything to get the right result in Paris. With Akliouche back in the fold, as well as in-form Ansu Fati, Monaco will likely deploy a three-man defence with Denis Zakaria dropping into the back three and Jordan Teze taking the captain's place in midfield.
When pressed on his potential system, Pocognoli underscored that tactics were not the cornerstone of his side's work, but rather the application of his principles. "I think that tactics are not the main focus, but it is the ideas that are put in place in this system that are important. We try to apply in every game these principles that are dear to us, which are to be ambitious with or without the ball."
Predicted lineups:
Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Doué, Barcola
AS Monaco (3-4-3): Köhn; Kehrer, Zakaria, Faes; Vanderson, Teze, Camara, Henrique; Akliouche, Balogun, Fati
