AS Monaco finally found their rhythm on the evening of Saturday, January 31, delivering a commanding performance to sweep aside Rennes and claim their first victory of the new year. Calm, clinical, and increasingly confident as the match wore on, the Principality side left no room for doubt, while the Bretons struggled to keep pace.
The breakthrough was led by the club’s academy product Maghnes Akliouche, who netted his second league goal of the season, following up on his recent strike in Nantes. His contribution set the tone for a dominant display in midfield, where Monaco controlled both tempo and space.
Rennes attempted to shift the momentum with a series of substitutions, but the changes failed to disrupt Monaco’s grip on the match. The visitors remained disorganized, and Sébastien Pocognoli’s side steadily tightened the screws as the minutes ticked away.
The evening was capped off in style late on, when Stanis Idumbo added a fourth goal in the 89th minute, finishing confidently after a perfectly weighted assist from the Danish winger, who ended the night with two assists to his name. The 4–0 scoreline reflected Monaco’s clear superiority.
For AS Monaco, the win offers a welcome breath of fresh air and a confidence boost heading into the coming fixtures. For Stade Rennais, however, the heavy defeat raises fresh questions as their struggles continue.
