Monaco, countered by Reims, falls from very high
Admittedly, Monaco dominated 99% of the match. Certainly, Monaco scored a beautiful but by Wissam Ben Yedder, in pivot, well served by Sofiane Diop (1-0, 55th). But this 15th goal of the season from the top scorer in Ligue 1 was not enough.
Because once again, Monaco did not manage to take shelter. Ben Yedder (58th) and Jean Lucas (67th and 82nd) were unable to score the second goal. And as a result, Philippe Clément’s team was countered.
First of all, Kevin Volland a free kick deflected from the head against his side (1-1, 84th). Then, at the very end of the match, the substitute Nathanael Mbukuwho had already obtained two great chances, did not miss the third to give victory to his family (1-2, 90th + 3).
This but allows Reims, 31 points, to see the future with certainty. On the other hand, it almost condemned Monaco, 38 points 8 points from the podium, in its quest for the Champions League next season.
Invalid kick off
This match was also marked by a “symbolic” action: the delay of its kick-off, on the initiative of the Reims club, to protest against Russian “acts of war” in Ukraine, according to the president of the club, Jean -Pierre Caillot.
Even if the president of Reims indicated before the meeting not to have wanted to make Monaco “uncomfortable”the fact remains that the Principality club has been run since January 2013 by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.
For the occasion, Prince Albert also displayed his presence. Like last Friday when Monaco won against Fenerbahçe Istanbul in Euroleague basketball, he was accompanied by his two children, Jacques and Gabriella.
On Friday, the management of the Monegasque basketball club – Aleksej Fedoricsev, the club’s new Russian president, and the Ukrainian Sergeï Dyadechko, vice-president and former president of the club – sat alongside them. This time, it was Oleg Petrov, the Russian vice-president and general manager of the Monegasque club, who was invited to the main stand.
Despite the main presence, Monaco has therefore chained a new counter-performance. It falls at the worst time, because Monaco travels to Nantes in the semi-final of the Coupe de France on Wednesday, before going to Marseille on Sunday…