Monaco's New Season Under Filipe Luís Begins

AS Monaco’s season starts on the road and under a new voice on the touchline.

Filipe Luís takes charge of his first Ligue 1 match as Monaco manager with a tricky opener away at Le Havre AC, just days after his team were dragged through a demanding European night. On Thursday, Monaco edged Górnik Zabrze 3-2 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League playoff, a result that brought goals, but also more strain on a squad already stretched thin.

Luís already juggling a thin squad

The Brazilian coach steps into his second competitive game with a long list of absentees. Christian Mawissa is suspended. Jordan Teze, Ansu Fati and new signing Mattias Abline are all sidelined through injury. Takumi Minamino and Folarin Balogun won’t be involved either; both are being rested and have been left out of the matchday squad.

It means Luís has little choice but to lean again on the fresh faces who helped him through that European tie.

Manchester City loanee Mathys Detourbet is in line for a second straight start in midfield after making his debut on Thursday. The same goes for centre-back Sadibou Sané, signed this summer from Metz, who is expected to anchor the defence once more.

On the left, Flávio Nazinho is set for his first competitive start in Monaco colours. The full-back, recruited from Cercle Brugge, offers energy and width, and suddenly finds himself thrown straight into the intensity of Ligue 1.

New-look Monaco taking shape

With so many regulars missing, Monaco’s XI at Le Havre will carry a distinctly new look, a blend of familiar leaders and recent arrivals trying to find chemistry on the fly.

Monaco likely line up v Le Havre:

• Lukas Hradecky;
• Flávio Nazinho, Eric Dier, Sadibou Sané, Vanderson;
• Mathys Detourbet, Lamine Camara, Denis Zakaria, Mamadou Coulibaly;
• Mika Biereth, Aleksandr Golovin.

Experience runs through the spine – Hradecky in goal, Dier marshalling the back line, Zakaria in midfield, Golovin as creator-in-chief – but around them, Luís is already testing the depth of his squad.

A new coach, a patched-together team, and an away opener after a draining European night: Monaco’s season doesn’t ease them in. It asks questions from day one.