Bordeaux vs Monaco – Bordeaux, who are now managed by David Guion, will be hoping to avoid a second consecutive humiliating defeat when Monaco visits the Matmut Atlantique on Sunday afternoon.
Les Girondins were defeated 3-2 by Lens in their most recent match, while Philippe Clement’s team had to settle for a draw with Lorient.
Jaroslav Plasil, a former Monaco midfielder, took over as caretaker manager for Bordeaux’s trip to Lens, which went about as well as the ailing Girondins could have hoped for.
As another humiliating goal-laden defeat loomed, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Seko Fofana, and Gael Kakuta catapulted Sang et Or into a 3-0 lead before the 30-minute mark, but Alberth Elis and Hwang Ui-jo managed to narrow the gap to only a one-goal loss for Les Girondins.
The Girondins board has responded by appointing ex-Reims manager Guion – who threatened a European charge with Les Rouges et Blances not long ago – and instilling a feeling of defensive stability will be a mandatory necessity for the 54-year-old.
While Clement’s team kept their third clean sheet in a row, their chances of returning to the Champions League or Europa League are not looking good, with Les Monegasques sitting in sixth place in the table heading into the weekend.
Clement’s team might leapfrog Rennes into fifth place if things go their way this weekend, but Strasbourg and Nice have unassailable four and five-point leads over Les Monegasques, respectively, as Monaco continues to struggle on the road.
Indeed, Monaco has only won one of their previous seven Ligue 1 games played on opponent territory – hardly the form of a Champions League contender – and, even more worryingly, they have failed to score in five of those games.
Bordeaux vs Monaco – Team News:
Guion will have Ukrainian midfielder Danylo Ignatenko available for this match, as the Shakhtar Donetsk loanee was reinstated after being sent off nine minutes into his debut against Reims.
For the time being, Tom Lacoux, Mehdi Zerkane, Jimmy Briand, and Benoit Costil will remain in the treatment room, though the latter is making good progress in his recovery from a calf injury.
During his final months at Reims, Guion preferred a 4-1-4-1 or 4-3-3 formation, with Korean sensation Hwang prepared to lead the line in any scenario.
Radoslaw Majecki, Benoit Badiashile, Krepin Diatta, and Myron Boadu are still sidelined for Monaco, but Clement has no new injury concerns following the Lorient draw.
The visitors are still without Cesc Fabregas, who should consider a plethora of attacking alterations considering their difficulty to establish dominance over Les Merlus.
Despite a 56th-minute replacement last time out, Gelson Martins and Aleksandr Golovin will both be vying for recalls to the wide areas for this game. Kevin Volland, on the other hand, will expect to preserve his spot.
Bordeaux possible starting lineup:
Poussin; Pembele, Marcelo, Ahmedhodzic, Mensah; Onana; Oudin, Guilavogui, Adli, Elis; Hwang
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Aguilar, Disasi, Maripan, Henrique; Tchouameni; Martins, Lucas, Volland, Golovin; Ben Yedder
Bordeaux vs Monaco – Head-to-Head:
Our Prediction: Over 1.5 Goals
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