AS Monaco sits at the top of the Ligue 1 table with 13 points after five matches, yet newly appointed manager Filipe Luis insists his club cannot compare itself to Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking on the RMC sport broadcast “L’After Foot” on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the 41-year-old Brazilian coach rejected early title talk, pointing instead to the immense gap separating his squad from the reigning French and European champions.
Monaco Leads Ligue 1 But Rejects Title Pressure
Monaco enters the resumption of domestic competition holding a two-point lead over Olympique Lyonnais and Paris FC. More crucially, the side from the Principality has carved out a five-point cushion over Paris Saint-Germain in the early standings. Despite this strong start under his leadership, Filipe Luis told RMC Sport that targeting the championship is premature.
“On ne pense pas à ça,” Luis stated on the RMC program, according to RMC Sport reporting. “Ce n’est pas réaliste. On connaît la réalité du club. Je suis ambitieux, vraiment vraiment ambitieux.”
Filipe Luis Rates Paris Saint-Germain as World Leaders
Explaining his cautious stance, the former Atlético Madrid and Chelsea left-back argued that his team cannot measure itself against the capital club. Paris a gagné les deux dernières Ligues des champions. Ce n’est pas juste la meilleure équipe en France ces deux dernières saisons, mais la meilleure équipe dans le monde.”
Monaco secured a statement 2–1 victory against PSG at the Parc des Princes earlier in the campaign, alongside wins over Marseille (2–0) and Lens (2–1). Yet Luis warned his squad against complacency. Luis cautioned that dropping their competitive edge could lead to rapid decline, pointing to the cautionary career trajectory of Ronaldinho.
Balancing Ligue 1 Ambitions with UEFA Conference League Travel
Monaco’s schedule intensifies significantly following a seventh-place finish in the 2025–26 season that earned them a spot in the UEFA Conference League. RMC Sport noted that the club’s European campaign opens on October 15, 2026, at 18:45 CET against CSKA Sofia. This added continental fixture list brings demanding travel schedules and fixture congestion.
“On connaît la réalité, ce sera une très longue saison,” Luis told RMC Sport. “Beaucoup de choses peuvent arriver. On prend match après match. À la fin, on verra le vrai niveau de notre équipe et on espère être au haut du classement.” The manager also praised the tactical acumen of French managers and the league’s willingness to trust young talent, observations shared in an interview with Agence France-Presse published by AS Monaco.
October 15 UEFA Conference League Opener Against CSKA Sofia
Monaco returns to action on Wednesday, October 15, 2026, hosting CSKA Sofia at 18:45 CET in the opening fixture of the UEFA Conference League league phase. The match marks the beginning of a grueling autumn stretch that will test the depth of Filipe Luis’s squad across both domestic and European competitions.
Keep reading
