Monaco vs Montpellier preview - Jardim hoping for cup boost

Leonardo Jardim hopes his Monaco side can use their French Cup run to bolster a Ligue 1 challenge when they host Montpellier.

Monaco missed the chance to move into the top four when they suffered a first league defeat since the end of November losing 1-0 at Guingamp in Week 24.

Jardim's squad, though, recovered quickly to beat Rennes 3-1 on Wednesday night and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the French Cup.

However, after chasing Paris St Germain in the title race last season to qualify for the Champions League, where they will meet English team Arsenal in the knockout stages, Jardim is expecting more over the closing part of the campaign.

"The (cup) victory did not erase some defects, there is still work to do," said Jardim.

"The goal in Ligue 1 is always the podium.

"Fatigue is creeping in a bit, but that is normal when you play three times a week.

"We have now played 37 games, it is normal that some players can not be on top in every game.

"Most of the players aren't used to it, so our concentration levels have to be high."

Jardim expects defender Layvin Kurzawa to keep his place in the team. Ricardo Carvalho is nursing a calf injury, while midfielder Joao Moutinho has an ankle problem.

Monaco are unbeaten in their last 25 Ligue 1 games against Montpellier, with 17 wins.

Montpellier, though, had also been in good recent league form, losing for the first time in eight matches when defeated 2-1 at home by Lille.

Manager Rolland Courbis has challenged his side to set out on another positive run as they look to move up from seventh place with victory at Stadium Stade Louis II on Saturday evening.

"Just because we lost (to Lille) doesn't mean we will abandon our ambition of finishing in sixth, seventh or eighth place," he said.

"It is our first defeat of the second half of the season, and if we can manage to repeat this kind of run we have had over the last five or six matches, we will be in good shape."