The long list of absentees (Tchouameni, Diop, Sidibé, Golovin, Diatta on the Monegasque side; Lopes, Dembélé, Slimani on the OL side among others) has showered neither expectations nor enthusiasm. The proof, nearly 50,000 people are expected tonight at Groupama Stadium for this gala poster between two top French footballers. A crowd never seen this season at Décines.

“Last year? A particular context”

They were not mistaken because the matches between Lyon and Monaco rarely give rise to meetings without flavor. “Last year, we fought three great battles”, remembers Niko Kovac.

The first, lost 4 to 1, had paradoxically been a founder for the future. The second, in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France (2-0 success for the Monegasques), had been electric, and the tension had risen again a notch 10 days later when OL won on a 3 wire. -2 at the Louis-II stadium with the start of a general fight after the end of the match which had earned the expulsion of four players. Since Marcelo was sent to reserve, De Sciglio, Pellegri and Geubbels have left, but the rivalry has not gone away like that, even if the Monegasque coach has done everything not to put oil on the fire. “It’s from the past. We were fighting for 3rd place, the context was special, the emotions very strong. We will try to win this match in good conditions. But we have to be prepared for anything. ” Since his dry defeat at home against OM (0-2), which had caused him some headaches, ASM has just chained a good in Nice and three consecutive wins in the league, including a last convincing before the truce against Bordeaux (3-0). Go up to 6^e place in the standings it has the opportunity this time to send a strong message against a direct competitor on the podium.

“Bosz? A very beautiful person”

Especially since OL, 10^e but at one point only of Monaco, is still looking for. “Like us, they did not start the championship well. They are not in their place in the standings. A new coach has arrived. They still need time, they will improve. It just lacks a click and I hope that it will not be against us “, smiled Niko Kovac, who will find in the Rhône some old acquaintances of the Bundesliga with Jérôme Boateng (his former player at Bayern) and Peter Bosz. “He is a great coach and a very beautiful person. I have always loved watching his teams play. I also find that Lyon and Monaco are alike.”

The keys to the meeting, it is the Monegasque defender Ruben Aguilar who speaks best: “OL this season will look high, attack strong like us. It’s going to be a great game. We won’t have to make any mistakes, it will be played out on small details. It’s the team that will blame it. the most who will win “.