AS Monaco squandered a golden opportunity to stay in contention for the Ligue 1 title. At the Stade Louis II, Sébastien Pocognoli’s men suffered a shocking 0–1 defeat against Paris FC, who made the most of one of their few chances to take three invaluable points. A goal from Nigerian forward Moses Simon was enough to sink Monaco and end their positive run in the league.

The Principality side, who began the matchday in second place—just one point behind Paris Saint-Germain—failed to maintain their competitive rhythm. After four games unbeaten and back-to-back wins, Monaco stumbled again and let slip a key opportunity to keep pressure on the reigning champions. With this defeat, Monaco record their third loss of the season and could drop as low as sixth depending on other results.

Ansu Fati Benched as Monaco Run Out of Ideas

Spanish forward Ansu Fati once again started on the bench and only came on in the 61st minute, when his team was already trailing. The former Barcelona player, who had shown a solid scoring run in recent weeks, seems to have lost importance in Pocognoli’s plans as the coach searches for solutions to reignite an attack that looked toothless against a disciplined and well-organized Paris FC.

The only goal of the match came in the 53rd minute. French midfielder Maxime Lopez drove through the midfield with a brilliant run before sending a perfect pass into the six-yard box, where Moses Simon was waiting to tap the ball home. From that moment, Monaco tried to react but lacked precision and depth to break through the visitors’ defense.

Paris FC Rise as Monaco Struggle

For Paris FC, the win meant much more than three points. The newly promoted side arrived on a poor run of two defeats and a draw, but this victory lifts them away from the relegation zone and into mid-table security.

By contrast, Monaco now sit four points behind leaders PSG, who defeated Nice 1–0 to consolidate their lead at the top. Meanwhile, teams such as Marseille, Strasbourg, Lyon, and Lens could overtake Monaco if they win their respective matches.

The setback at Stade Louis II underlines that Monaco must rediscover their consistency if they want to keep their title hopes alive. Their next match will be a real test of character for a team that, for now, has lost pace in the Ligue 1 title race.