Team NewsSedan are a tad weaker without right wing-back Fabien Tchenkoua but showed they can cope without him by earning a creditable 1-1 draw at Le Havre last weekend. Coach Laurent Guyot is likely to name an unchanged side.
Monaco have been injury-free in recent weeks. Coach Claudio Ranieri may make tweaks following their 4-0 win over Clermont on Monday night if he feels the players are tired. There is particularly fierce competition in attack, where 16-goal leading scorer Ibrahima Toure and former St Etienne and Toulouse front man Emmanuel Riviere have had to settle for a place on the bench in the past two games.
Sedan
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Naim Sliti (thigh), Jonathan Bijimine (knee), Fabien Tchenkoua (knee)
Injured/unavailable: Geoffrey Lembet (Achilles)
Monaco
Suspended: None
Doubtful: None
Injured/unavailable: Sebastian Ribas (shin), Stephane Dumont (knee)
Match Preview
You have to feel sorry for Sedan. Lying six points from safety, they have played some excellent football in recent weeks without always getting the points their performances have warranted. Despite their perilous league position the players’ attitude has been excellent in every single game.
And yet just when they need another win to keep alive their faint hopes of staying up, they come up against the division’s big beast. Monaco are champions-elect. They are unbeaten in 2013. Top of the table, they are 7pts clear of nearest rivals Nantes and 10pts clear of fourth-placed Angers, meaning if results went their way they could actually clinch promotion at Stade Louis Dugauguez on Monday night. Even if they don’t they’ll get the job done eventually because they’re simply a class higher than every other side in the division.
Sedan have no choice but to play to win, and that will play straight into Monaco’s hands. Few sides attack as quickly and precisely as Monaco on the break. I can see the visitors sitting back, luring Sedan into their net and then hitting them hard, over and over again.
Against any other side I would give Sedan a chance of winning based on recent performances. But Monaco? Not a chance. Back the away win.
Head To Head
Sedan’s home record against Monaco is an impressive W12-D7-L4.
Sedan Vs Monaco - Prediction
The two opposites of this Ligue 2 table are playing against each other in this match.
Sedan are standing in 19th position with 29 points collected in 33 games. They are 6 points behind the 17th, so they have a high chance to go down in National (3rd division) next season. In their last 5 games, they have a 1-3-1 record, and on their own pitch they won 4 games, drew in 5 and lost in 7. This is a poor home record, however they won 3 of their last 4 home games.
Monaco have been in first position of this Ligue 2 season for a while, and they are now about to make the season even better win a Ligue 2 title very soon. They have collected a total of 66 points so far, which gives them a 4 points advantage over Nantes (2nd) who have already played and won in this round. Monaco have won their last two games, 2-0 in Auxerre and 4-0 at home against Clermont. Away, they have a very good 10-4-2 record.
Sedan Vs Monaco - Betting Tip
Monaco haven’t lost in any of their last 16 games in this league. They have a squad which has been made to go back in Ligue 1, with a great coach on top of that, in Claudio Ranieri. Even though Sedan will be fighting for its Ligue 2 life, I don’t think they have what it takes to prevent Monaco from taking the 3 points.
Top: 2
Odd: 2.00 - Ladbrokes
Stake: 8/10
