Ligue 1 McDonald's, Matchday 20, 31/01/26
AS Monaco registered their first Ligue 1 win since 29th November (against Paris Saint-Germain ), as they swatted Stade Rennais aside 4-0 at the Stade Louis II.
The first half-hour was marked by half-chances and poorly-worked promising situations from both sides. There were clearly goals in the game but neither side had the composure to make the right choice in the final third.
That was until Folarin Balogun put the ball through Jérémy Jacquet 's legs and into the path of Ansu Fati , who made the finish past Brice Samba from a tight angle. But the Rennes goalkeeper was decisive just before half-time, denying Balogun to keep the deficit to just one goal.
Fati ceded his place, seemingly due to injury at half-time, and his substitute then got in on the act. Kassoum Ouattara 's shot blasted off the inside of the post and into the path of Aleksandr Golovin , who fluffed his lines, but his miscontrol found Maghnes Akliouche , who touched into the empty net.
Les Rennais thought that they had halved the deficit when Esteban Leapul slid home, only for the offside flag to cut short the celebrations. And soon after, they were three behind. It was another substitute, Mika Biereth , with a goal involvement, as he played in Mamadou Coulibaly , who tucked the ball through Samba's legs.
Les Monégasques got a fourth before the final whistle as Stanis Idumbo scruffily finished from a Biereth cross. Monaco are back on track, even if there is a big gap to make up if they are to return to European contention.
Philipp Kohn – 5
Thilo Kehrer – 4
Denis Zakaria – 8
Pocognoli said that Zakaria's performance against Juventus was his best of the season, and his argument had weight. This was equally as commanding from the Swiss international, whose best position does perhaps, lies in defence. Monaco have rediscovered the Zakaria of his first season in the Principality.
Jordan Teze – 3
Kassoum Ouattara – 4
Lamine Camara – 7
With Zakaria sliding back into the defence, there is more emphasis on Camara providing impact in the midfield. We know that he is capable of getting his side onto the front foot, but he was also key off the ball here, filling in the spaces left by his teammates when they ventured forward.
Mamadou Coulibaly – 6
Krépin Diatta – 5
Aleksandr Golovin – 4
Ansu Fati – 7
He was only seen in glimpses, but when he did get on the ball, he got fans off their feet with deft footwork and directness. He took his goal well before being replaced at half-time by Maghnes Akliouche (6).
Folarin Balogun – 6
Jérémy Jacquet – 3
If this was to be his final performance in a Rennes shirt, then he went out with something of a whimper. The Chelsea target was part of a slack, passive, and disorganised back-line that conceded four against a Monaco side that were winless in the league for over two months. The ball went through his legs for Monaco's first and his passing was less clean than we have seen in recent months. Potentially an important night in Jacquet's career, but simultaneously, one to forget.
Breel Embolo – 3
GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Monaco
