Monaco start the Ligue 1 season with a statement win in Strasbourg

Ligue 1 had more than its fair share of surprising results on the opening weekend. Chief among them was Lorient winning at Rennes in the derby, and Nice only scraping a draw against promoted Toulouse, but the match with the biggest potential for an upset surely had to be Monaco’s trip to Strasbourg.

Strasbourg’s ground, La Meinau, has long been a difficult place to play and Julien Stéphan’s teams have turned plenty of heads with their vibrant performances. However, Monaco returned home with a 2-1 win, showing why they are one of the favourites to finish in the top three.

Philippe Clement’s team had to weather a (tight) offside call in stoppage time and rely on some fine saves from goalkeeper Alexander Nübel but, of all of the Champions League contenders in action in France this weekend, Monaco will feel the most satisfied with their result. A trip to Strasbourg, who finished just outside the European places last season and have resisted attempts from a number of bigger clubs to prise Ludovic Ajorque from their clutches, is never an easy proposition. To say nothing of it coming in the middle of their Champions League qualifier against PSV, which is delicately poised after a 1-1 draw at the Stade Louis-II last Tuesday.

Not only did Monaco have to rotate their squad for their trip to Eindhoven this week, but they were also without the suspended Kevin Volland and Aleksandr Golovin. Add in the absences of Caio Henrique to illness and the injured trio of Benoît Badiashile, Myron Boadu and Takumi Minamino, and this was a tough beginning for Clement’s first full season in charge.

With Wissam Ben Yedder and right-back Vanderson rested, more than half of the side that started against PSV on Tuesday had been changed, but several of