Ligue 1 | Gameweek 18

Jan 17, 2025 at 6pm UK

Stade de la Mosson

Montpellier vs Monaco

Match preview

It has been a truly miserable season for Montpellier, who have been unable to turn their fortunes around since Jean-Louis Gasset was appointed coach.

With 12 defeats in their 17 Ligue 1 games this season, the five other clubs to have lost as many games at this stage have all finished bottom of the table, with the last to do so being Angers in 2022-23.

Twenty-three games without a clean sheet is a new club record and by far the longest such run in Ligue 1, and is a major factor in why they sit seven points adrift of safety.

Montpellier remain the only club in Europe's top five to have picked up 100% of their points at home, but they came away with nothing from last week's crucial clash with Angers.

In what was billed as a must-win encounter for both sides, Angers took all three points and ran out 3-1 winners at the Stade de la Mosson, with Montpellier shooting themselves in the foot with two late red cards.

It means that the 2011-12 Ligue 1 champions have lost their opening two games of 2025 and have shown no response to the embarrassing 4-0 defeat to fourth-tier Le Puy in the Coupe de France before Christmas.

Things are about to get even tougher for the basement boys as they face Lens, Lyon, Nice, Rennes, Lille and Monaco in their next eight games.

Monaco, in particular, will be unwelcome visitors as no team in Ligue 1 history has beaten them more often (35 times in 61 matches).

However, Adi Hutter's men have endured a rocky patch since a sensational start to the season saw them top of the table at the end of October.

Since returning from the international break this month, Monaco have languished 12th in the table, taking just 12 points from a possible 30, with their current three-match winless streak their longest under Hutter.

Failure to win here would be their longest away run in almost three years, but Hutter has won all three previous meetings with Montpellier and Monaco have won their last two away games without conceding a goal.

Monaco's 2-2 draw with Nantes last week keeps them just inside the top three, but Nice in particular are on the rise and could leapfrog them this weekend unless the Principality club respond.

However, morale will have been dented by a penalty shoot-out defeat to Reims in the Coupe de France in midweek, and with a crucial Champions League clash against Aston Villa on Tuesday, Hutter will be hoping his side can regain their confidence before then.

Recent Performance

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:LDLDLL

Montpellier HSC form (all competitions):DLDLLL

Monaco Ligue 1 form:WLWDLD

Monaco form (all competitions):DLWLDL

Team News

Moments of madness at the end of last week's defeat at Angers saw Montpellier reduced to nine men, with two bookings for Kiki Kouyate and a straight red for Jordan Ferri equalling the number of suspensions for this game.

Christopher Jullien continues to recover from a cruciate ligament injury, while Birama Toure and Nikola Maksimovic remain sidelined with minor knocks.

Hutter may be tempted to rotate for this game with Villa coming up in a few days' time, but many of his back-up players are currently struggling with injuries.

George Ilenikhena and Folarin Balogun have both suffered setbacks, while young defender Christian Mawissa Elebi is also out with a hamstring injury.

Monaco were quick to move on the market this month, signing Sturm Graz attacker Mika Biereth, and after scoring on French soil in his last game for the club at Lille, the 21-year-old came off the bench to score the equaliser on his debut in midweek, but his overall fitness remains a question mark.

Elsewhere on the sidelines, Denis Zakaria and Takumi Minamino are both struggling with illness, while Aleksandr Golovin picked up an ankle knock last week and all three remain doubts.

Possible starting lineup

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Lecomte; Tchato, Omeragic, Chotard, Sylla; Savanier, Sagnan, Nzingoula; Al-Tamari, Adams, Nordin

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Majecki; Teze, Kehrer, Salisu, Caio Henrique; Magassa, Camara; Ouattara, Ben Seghir, Minamino; Biereth