PARIS (AFP)—In a stunning Ligue 1 upset, AS Monaco delivered a commanding 3-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Friday. The match, which served as a critical preparatory fixture for PSG ahead of their Champions League confrontation with Chelsea, instead revealed significant vulnerabilities within the French champions.
Monaco’s offensive prowess was on full display, with US national team striker Folarin Balogun contributing a decisive goal to seal the victory. The principality club established dominance early, with Maghnes Akliouche breaking the deadlock late in the first half. Russian international Aleksandr Golovin extended their advantage shortly after the restart with a clinically executed finish.
PSG managed a temporary resurgence when Bradley Barcola capitalized on an assist from Achraf Hakimi to net his tenth goal of the season. However, any momentum was swiftly extinguished by Balogun, who registered his fifth goal in as many games with a powerful strike from distance that deflected past the goalkeeper.
The result carries profound implications beyond domestic competition. PSG, still reeling from last month’s dramatic Champions League play-off encounter against Monaco where they narrowly advanced 5-4 on aggregate, now face Chelsea in the last-16 under a cloud of concern. Manager Luis Enrique acknowledged the troubling performance, stating, ‘When you play like that against a team in a very positive dynamic like Monaco, you pay for it.’
This defeat marks PSG’s fourth league loss this season—equaling their combined total from the previous two campaigns—and their seventh across all competitions in 2025/26. The timing is particularly inopportune as Lens, their closest Ligue 1 pursuers, could narrow the gap to a single point with a victory on Sunday.
A solitary positive emerged with the return from injury of Ousmane Dembele, last year’s Ballon d’Or winner, though his match fitness remains questionable for the crucial European tie. Meanwhile, Monaco’s remarkable form continues unabated, with five wins and two draws from their last seven matches propelling them to fifth position as they strengthen their European qualification ambitions.