7M - Preview: Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain - Prediction, Team News, Lineups

On Tuesday evening, an intriguing all-French contest unfolds as Monaco welcomes reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain to Stade Louis II for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs.

This matchup represents the first competitive encounter between the two sides, although Monaco will draw confidence from their narrow 1–0 victory at this venue in November 2025.

Match Preview

For the second consecutive season, Monaco finds themselves in the Champions League knockout phase, a commendable feat for a team that experienced an uneven domestic campaign.

After struggling to secure a win in their opening three matches (D2, L1), Sebastien Pocognoli's squad managed to stabilize with two victories in the next three fixtures (D1), marking their only wins in the eight-match phase. Matchday seven brought a humbling 6–1 defeat against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, a goalless draw against Juventus in the final round was sufficient to ensure a 21st-place finish, leaving them just one point above elimination.

Aiming for a place in the last 16 for the sixth time in 11 Champions League campaigns, Monaco must also overcome a challenging history in knockout ties, having lost their last five two-legged encounters, including a 4–3 aggregate loss to Benfica at this stage last season.

Despite that, the Principality club can take solace in their strong home record, remaining unbeaten in their last four UCL matches at Stade Louis II (W1, D3) while keeping clean sheets in the last three. This fortitude was apparent domestically, too, as Monaco secured a 3–1 victory over Nantes, placing them eighth in the Ligue 1 standings and marking only their second win in eight matches across all competitions (D3, L3).

In contrast, PSG arrive reeling from a 3–1 defeat at Rennes, causing Luis Enrique's side to drop to second in the league and recording their third loss in 10 matches this year (W6, D1). Their other setbacks included a disappointing Coupe de France exit to local rivals Paris FC and a 2–1 loss away to Sporting Lisbon during the Champions League league phase.

Finishing 11th in the final standings, two points shy of the top eight, PSG finds itself in the playoffs for a second straight season. They previously dominated Brest 10–0 on aggregate at this stage last year, which should instill some confidence ahead of this all-French clash.

PSG has triumphed in 10 of their last 15 Champions League knockout fixtures (L5), and with seven victories from their previous 10 away appearances in the competition (D1, L2), they head into Tuesday's match with optimism. However, recent trips to Monaco have been challenging for Les Parisiens, with only one win from the last six visits, including a defeat in November marking their fourth loss in that sequence.

Possible Starting Lineup:

Monaco: Kohn; Vanderson, Teze, Kehrer, Henrique; Zakaria, Coulibaly; Fati, Golovin, Adingra; Balogun.

Paris Saint-Germain: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.

Prediction: Monaco 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain

Monaco has a tendency to challenge PSG at the Stade Louis II, and their recent resilience at home suggests another tough encounter is in store for the visitors. However, with key injuries affecting the hosts, PSG's deeper squad and knockout experience might prove crucial in securing a narrow advantage in this first leg.