AS Monaco vs Nantes

Ligue 1 action returns to the Principality this Friday, February 13, 2026, as Sébastien Pocognoli’s AS Monaco welcomes Ahmed Kantari’s Nantes. Kick-off at the Stade Louis-II is scheduled for 20:05 UTC.

This Round 22 clash features two teams desperate to reverse recent slides. Monaco (10th, 28 points) is looking to bridge the gap to the European places, while Nantes (17th, 14 points) finds themselves in the automatic relegation zone, needing a result to spark a survival bid.

Match Information

AS Monaco: Finding Consistency Under Pocognoli

Since taking over in October 2025, Sébastien Pocognoli has seen flashes of brilliance from his squad—most notably a 4–0 demolition of Rennes—but consistency remains elusive. A recent 0–0 draw in the Côte d’Azur derby against Nice and a 3–1 exit from the Coupe de France at the hands of Strasbourg have added pressure to this home fixture.

Team News and Selection:

• Injury Crisis: Monaco's treatment room is at capacity. Ansu Fati (calf), Takumi Minamino (torn knee ligaments), and Mohammed Salisu (cruciate ligament) are all long-term absentees.

• Defensive Woes: Eric Dier and Kassoum Ouattara remain sidelined, though Wout Faes is back in the fold after recently featuring on the bench.

• The Bright Spots: New arrival Simon Adingra has impressed since joining on loan from Sunderland, while Mika Biereth and Maghnes Akliouche provide the primary creative spark.

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Köhn; Teze, Kehrer, Singo, Caio Henrique; Zakaria, Camara; Adingra, Golovin, Akliouche; Balogun.

Nantes: The Fight for Flight

Ahmed Kantari, appointed in December 2025, is searching for a formula to save Les Canaris. Nantes has struggled immensely for points, losing seven of their last ten matches, including a narrow 1–0 home loss to Lyon last weekend. With only 19 goals scored all season, finding a clinical edge is the priority.

Team News and Selection:

• Absentee List: Nantes is relatively healthy compared to Monaco but will be without Deiver Machado (hamstring) and Amady Camara.

• Key Man: Matthis Abline is the focal point of the attack. Despite the team's struggles, he leads Nantes in goal contributions and will be the main threat on the counter.

• Goal Hunger: Veteran Youssef El Arabi offers experience off the bench and currently leads the team in shots on target per match.

• Predicted XI (4-3-3): Lopes; Amian, Castelletto, Zézé, Cozza; Chirivella, Douglas Augusto, Lepenant; Mollet, Abline, Simon.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• The Goal Fest: The reverse fixture in October 2025 was a thriller, with Monaco winning 5–3 at the Stade de la Beaujoire.

• Historic Dominance: Monaco has a strong H2H record, winning 18 of their last 29 meetings (Nantes has only 3 wins).

• Home Advantage: Monaco has not lost at home to Nantes in their last five encounters at the Stade Louis-II.

• Defensive Fragility: Both teams have struggled to keep clean sheets; Monaco has conceded 33 goals this season, while Nantes has allowed 37.

Tactical Preview and Prediction

Pocognoli will likely demand high aggression from the start to unsettle a fragile Nantes backline. Expect Monaco to dominate possession and look for Aleksandr Golovin to find the runs of Folarin Balogun. Nantes will aim to sit in a deep block and exploit the spaces left by Monaco’s adventurous full-backs, particularly targeting the pace of Moses Simon.

Despite Monaco's lengthy injury list, their superior squad depth and home form should be enough to overcome a Nantes side that is currently low on confidence.

Final Score Prediction: AS Monaco 2–0 Nantes