PARIS – AS Monaco delivered a significant blow to Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 title hopes, securing a 3-1 victory at the Parc des Princes on Friday. The result comes just five days before PSG’s crucial Champions League last-16 first leg against Chelsea next Wednesday.
Monaco, seemingly having learned from their Champions League playoff experience against PSG, dictated the tempo for much of the match. Maghnes Akliouche opened the scoring in the 27th minute, with Aleksandr Golovin adding a second in the 55th. Folarin Balogun sealed the win for Monaco in the 73rd minute, despite a late goal from Bradley Barcola for the Parisiens.
Monaco Continues Impressive Run of Form
This victory extends Monaco’s impressive recent form in Ligue 1, with five wins and a draw in their last six matches – accumulating 16 points from a possible 18. The win lifts Monaco to fifth place in the league table, just three points behind the European qualification spots, pending the results of matches for Lille and Rennes, who also have 40 points but with a game in hand.
For Paris Saint-Germain, the defeat represents their fourth league loss of the campaign and a setback in the title race. It’s their first loss at the Parc des Princes since April 25, 2025, and the first since a 3-1 defeat to Rennes on February 13, 2026. Lens now have the opportunity to close the gap to just one point at the top of the table with a win over Metz on Sunday, meaning the championship is far from decided.
The timing of the loss is less than ideal for PSG, with the Champions League clash against Chelsea looming. Players like Ousmane Dembélé, recently returning from a calf injury, and Marquinhos were reportedly preserved with the Chelsea match in mind, but Monaco’s performance still proved too much to overcome. Chelsea, meanwhile, boosted their own form with a 4-1 victory over Aston Villa before traveling to Paris.
Key Moments from the Match
27′ – Akliouche Opens the Scoring (0-1): Warren Zaïre-Emery attempted a dribble out of his own penalty area under pressure from Folarin Balogun, losing possession. The ball fell to Akliouche, who calmly slotted the ball past PSG goalkeeper Lucas Safonov.
55′ – Golovin Doubles Monaco’s Lead (0-2): Kehrer delivered a long pass to Coulibaly near the penalty area. Coulibaly held up play, finding Golovin making a run into the box. Golovin controlled the pass and curled a shot past Safonov into the bottom corner.
71′ – Barcola Halves the Deficit (1-2): Hakimi carried the ball forward and played a pass to Barcola on the left wing. Barcola unleashed a shot that was deflected by Teze, wrong-footing Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Köhn.
73′ – Balogun Restores Monaco’s Two-Goal Advantage (1-3): Monaco’s pressing forced Kang-In Lee into an error. Balogun collected the loose ball outside the box, turned, and curled a shot into the bottom left corner, beyond the reach of Safonov.
Lineups
Paris SG (4-3-3): Safonov – Hakimi (c), Zabarnyi, Pacho, Nuno Mendes – Vitinha, Zaïre-Emery (Ramos, 75′), Doué (Mayulu, 60′), Barcola, Kvaratskhelia (Dembélé, 60′) – Manager: Luis Enrique.
AS Monaco (3-4-3): Köhn – Kehrer, Zakaria, Faes – Vanderson (Tézé, 16′), Camara, Bamba (Golovin, 54′), Henrique (Mawaissa, 54′) – Akliouche (Adingra, 81′), Balogun, Coulibaly – Manager: Sébastien Pocognoli.
This marks the second time Monaco has defeated PSG this season, having also won 1-0 in September. Remarkably, Monaco has taken the lead in all four matches between the two sides this season, including both legs of the Champions League playoff tie, where PSG ultimately advanced 5-4 on aggregate.
The loss for PSG serves as a stark reminder of Monaco’s growing threat and the challenges that lie ahead, both domestically and in Europe. For Monaco, this victory is a testament to their tactical discipline and a significant step towards securing a European place for next season.
Next up for Paris Saint-Germain is their Champions League last-16 first leg against Chelsea at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. Monaco will look to continue their momentum in Ligue 1 when they face [next opponent to be confirmed].
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