With a win over Rennes, AS Monaco continue their run and climb on to the podium | OneFootball

At the end of a dominant display, the Rouge et Blanc had got the better of their Breton counterparts and secured a second success in a row this week after one against Aston Villa (3-2).

A win to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Stade Louis-II! With a great performance against Rennes, the AS Monaco players celebrated this anniversary in the most beautiful way, allowing them to temporarily return to the podium. It was a win they earned under the eyes of HSH Prince Albert II and President Dmitry Rybolovlev. ✍️

President Dmitry Rybolovlev, S.A.S. Prince Albert and Michel Aubéry, President of the Association

Le contexte 📅

Winners against Aston Villa in the midweek, the AS Monaco players wanted to follow up that success against Rennes, as part of the 19th matchday of Ligue 1, and find success that has eluded them since December 7. To do this, and as coach Adi Hütter said in a press conference, they will have to show the same attitude as against they had against the British team.

I hope we can repeat that performance against Rennes, an experienced team with an equally experienced coach. We want to bounce back in the league to get back on track, we are working hard for that. I want to see the same attitude shown as against Aston Villa. That is how we will get out of this situation.

The XI 👥

To approach this match against the side currently fifteenth in the league, the Austrian manager once again lined up a 4-2-3-1 with the return of Mohammed Salisu in central defence alongside Thilo Kehrer. Mika Biereth, not a part of the squad in the Champions League, was also a starter up front, as was Aleksandr Golovin who returned to the XI. For the rest of the team, no changes were made compared to the side who were victorious agains the Villans.

The scenario 🎞

The start of the match was largely dominated by the Rouge et Blanc who had a monopoly on the ball. On a three-way exchange among Vanderson, Mika Biereth and Takumi Minamino, the latter was denied by Samba at the first time of asking (10′). The Japanese forward then overhit his effort on a pass from the Danish striker (13′).

Maghnes “Magic” Akliouche gets to work

They were finally rewarded shortly thereafter by a gem from Maghnes Akliouche, scorer of a sensational overhead kick (15′). It was third goal of the season in the league. The second goal seemed close at hand as Aleksandr Golovin smashed an effort off the bar (17′), while a cross from Biereth, who was very lively, was cleared off the line by the Rennes defense (35′).

With little involvement to that point, the Bretons woke up at the end of the first period with Adrien Truffert’s strike being stopped without worry by Radoslaw Majecki (43′). The equalizer unfortunately came in added time from Mohamadou Nagida, who pounced after a partially blocked shot from Ludovic Blas (45+1′). How frustrating!

A first for Biereth, and Golo doubles the lead

Despite the opponent’s equalizer, Adi Hütter’s men started the second half well and their new number 14 was denied by Brice Samba (50′). It was only a postponement  of the inevitable, though, as two minutes later, Mika Biereth would beat his opponent to open his account in his new jersey (52′). It was a fifth assist by Lamine Camara in Ligue 1, the highest total among the Club.

The Rouge et Blanc did not let go of the match and on a high recovery, Maghnes Akliouche played in Aleksandr Golovin , who then only has to tap the ball into the back of the net (56′). Four minutes of madness had swung the match in favor of AS Monaco!

Rennes reduce the lead

This two-goal deficit did not make the Bretons and Amine Gouiri capitulate, as his curling effort came close  to Radek’s post (65′). He unfortunately would have more success two minutes later when he reduced the lead (67′). Adi Hütter then took advantage to make a double change with the entries of Krépin Diatta and Lucas Michal (74′). The striker trained at the Academy quickly stood out but was denied by Samba (76′).

Majecki is decisive to secure the three points!

Jordan Teze also made his appearance five minutes later in midfield (81′). It was even he who picked out the Danish striker with a deep ball but the latter lost his one-on-one (89′). The end of the match was uncertain and it took Radoslaw Majecki being strong on his line to stop a header from Meïté (95′).

It was a last thrill of this match, synonymous with victory for the Rouge et Blanc against Rennes for the 40th anniversary of the Stade Louis-II (3-2) and one which followed the same against Aston Villa and temporarily move up to third. Now it’s time for the Champions League with a trip to Inter Milan, Wednesday (21:00). DAGHE MUNEGU! 🇲🇨

Key moments 🎥

10′: A three-man exchange among Vanderson, Biereth and Minamino saw the Japanse forward stumble against Samba 13′: Minamino’ squares off agains the Rennes goalkeeper, after being well found by Biereth 15′: Akliouche’s acrobatic overhead kick opens the scoring (1-0) 17: Golovin hits the bar after a ball in by Biereth 32′: Biereth’s cross in front of the goal is cleared by Nagida 43′: Truffert’s shot is on target, but no danger for Majecki 45+1′: Rennes equalizes from Nagida on a shot from close range (1-1) 50′: Akliouche’s backheel finds Biereth who is stopped by Samba 52′: Well found by Camara, Biereth beats the Rennes goalkeeper with a right-footed effort (2-1) 56′: A Monaco counterattack is finished by Golovin (3-1) 65′: A curling shot by Gouiri is off-target 67′: Another curler from Gouiri this time hits the target (3-2) 76′: Save from Samba to deny Michal, who had been found with a long ball 89′: Biereth loses a one-on-one against Samba 95′: A save on his line by Majecki on a header from Meïté

The stat 📊

Scorer of a goal to double the lead for AS Monaco just before the hour, Aleksandr Golovin scored AS Monaco’s 100th goal in Ligue 1 under Adi Hütter.

🗓️ Match details:

Saturday Janaury 25 (17:00) – Stade Louis-II

Ligue 1 – Matchday 19: AS Monaco 3-2 Stade Rennais

Halftime: 1-1

Goals: Akliouche (15′), Biereth (52′), Golovin (56′), Akliouche (94′) for AS Monaco; Nagida (45+1′), Gouiri (67′), Hateboer (87′), Truffert (92′) for Rennes

Bookings: Mawissa (63′), Minamino (73′) for AS Monaco; Wooh (71′), Gouiri (75′) for Rennes

AS Monaco: Majecki – Vanderson, Kehrer, Salisu, Mawissa (Diatta, 74′) – Camara (Teze, 81′), Zakaria © (Magassa, 56′) – Akliouche, Minamino (Michal, 73′), Golovin (Ben Seghir, 81′) – Biereth

Substitutes: Köhn, Ouattara, Teze, Ben Seghir, Diatta, Diop, Magassa, Embolo, Michal