AS Monaco delivered another statement performance at the Stade Louis-II, defeating FC Nantes 3–1 Friday, February 13 to strengthen their push toward the European places.
Backed by the presence of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II and club president Dmitry Rybolovlev in the stands, the Red and Whites combined clinical finishing in the first half with resilience after the break to secure a second consecutive home victory.
Despite several absences, head coach Sébastien Pocognoli opted for a 4-2-3-1 setup, restoring Wout Faes to central defence while Denis Zakaria returned to midfield alongside Lamine Camara. Up front, Folarin Balogun led the line, supported by Maghnes Akliouche, Aleksandr Golovin and new signing Simon Adingra.
Monaco gradually took control after a cautious opening. Balogun tested Anthony Lopes early, and Vanderson’s dangerous delivery nearly forced an own goal. The breakthrough came midway through the first half when Balogun’s pressing caused chaos in the Nantes box, allowing Adingra to react quickest and slot home from close range.
Moments later, Golovin released Adingra again, and the Ivorian winger doubled the lead with a composed finish to mark a dream debut at the Louis-II. Monaco were relentless, and Zakaria added a third before the half-hour mark, curling a superb effort into the top corner after being set up by Golovin, who registered his fourth league assist of the season.
Nantes managed to pull one back in stoppage time before the interval through Fabien Centonze, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope heading into the second half.
After the restart, Monaco remained organised as Nantes attempted to increase the tempo. Goalkeeper Philipp Köhn dealt comfortably with early pressure, and although the match lost some rhythm, the hosts stayed in control. The game shifted when Golovin was shown a red card midway through the second half, forcing Monaco to dig deep for the final 25 minutes.
Reduced to ten men, the Principality side showed determination and defensive solidity. Faes produced a crucial intervention late on to deny Nantes a clear chance, while Ansu Fati nearly added a fourth in stoppage time, only to be denied by Lopes.
In the end, Monaco’s first-half efficiency proved decisive. The 3–1 win keeps their momentum intact ahead of a major European test, with Paris Saint-Germain due at the Stade Louis-II for the first leg of their Champions League playoff clash on Tuesday evening.