Last cold sweats for Didier Deschamps.
This Sunday, AS Monaco hosts Olympique de Marseille at the end of the 15th day of Ligue 1 (8:45 p.m.).
Three French who will fly to Qatar will be on the lawn of Louis-II for this clash between teams tied in the standings.
To discover
Calendar and results Ligue 1
League 1 standings
The Monegasque Youssouf Fofana and the Marseillais Mattéo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout will meet at Clairefontaine this Monday.
But before that, one last fight.
Monaco is much better
It is a Monaco, fifth in the standings, which receives Marseille, fourth.
The two teams have the same number of points (27) and only goal difference puts OM ahead (+12 against +9) after 14 days.
However, the two teams are in very different forms.
"
Thanks to the latest results, we are in a good dynamic and everyone wants to win to finish this first part of the season well
" assures Philippe Clement.
It must be said that the Rock club got off to a bad start.
An inaugural victory against Strasbourg (2-1, August 6), encouraging draws against Rennes (1-1, August 13) and PSG (1-1, August 28) but two debacles at home against Lens (1-4, August 20) and Troyes (2-4, August 31).
After five points in five games, the Red and Whites finished their first month in 16th place in the championship.
A victory in the derby against Nice (1-0, September 4), a success against Lyon, a direct competitor (2-1, September 10) and Monaco continues.
"
It's not a relaunch but a confirmation.
We go on match after match
” insisted the Belgian coach after the match against OL.
Since this defeat against ESTAC, Philippe Clement's men have taken 22 points out of a possible 27 and are in 5th place, one point from the podium.
Marseille on the verge of crisis
In Marseille, the winds are contrary and the mistral has been blowing in the wrong direction for a few weeks.
A great start to the season and 23 points taken after nine days.
Since then, Igor Tudor's men have been skating.
Three defeats in a row in the league.
A 2-2 draw in Strasbourg while OM led 2-0 in the 75th minute.
And a more than sluggish 1-0 success in the Olympico last weekend.
A match lost more by the Lyonnais than won by the Marseillais, who only scored two shots during this meeting.
Read alsoTops / Flops Marseille-Lyon: Gigot is a string, OL without a collective soul
“
It was long, trying, physically and mentally
, asks Amine Harit, after the poor results of recent weeks in the league and in the Champions League.
The two days after Tottenham were tough mentally.
The best way to get back into it was to win against Lyon.
We were not at peace because the frustration was great.
We have killed evil with evil.
Mentally, we set the record straight.
»
Three Blues to Louis-II
This last French championship match, before switching to Qatari time, will inevitably be closely watched by Didier Deschamps.
Three players summoned by the French coach should start, all in midfield.
What complicate the task of "DD" in case of breakage.
Monegasque Youssouf Fofana will face Olympians Mattéo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout.
Monaco is the perfect match before the break.
It has been more successful for us in recent years.
We are full of confidence.
We will be keen to play a big match before the World Cup breaks.
Amine Harit
“
Play against Mattéo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout?
Special, I don't know.
In any case, we are competitors at heart,
blows the ASM midfielder.
I think they won't hesitate to charge me during the game and neither will I, until the final whistle.
Only then will we become teammates again.
I hope the coach will be in front of his television to watch, even if I don't think the match can change anything in the coach's ideas.
But even if it doesn't change the hierarchy, I'm going to give it my all.
»
For his part, Amine Harit is confident before this final pre-World Cup meeting.
“
Monaco is the perfect match before the cut.
It has been more successful for us in recent years.
We are just ahead in the standings.
We remain on a victory against Lyon, which is a rival.
We are full of confidence.
We will be keen to play a big match before the World Cup breaks.
»
A success to breathe on vacation
Two teams with two different forms but only one objective during this last match: to take the three points, to spend a more serene month of November.
“
You shouldn't think about the World Cup and play the shots thoroughly.
If we hold back, that's where we get hurt,
says Amine Harit, retained for Qatar with Morocco.
It's the last week before the cut.
We remain on a good match against Lyon with an important success to pick up.
There is one game left and it is better to leave with a victory.
We will have peace of mind if we win.
»
Read also“This group will do everything to fight”: Ambitious and determined Deschamps before the World Cup
“
The match in Monaco is not a key match
, tempers Igor Tudor for his part.
38 days ago, it's a marathon not a sprint.
It's a good game, a derby.
There will be plenty of games to play afterwards.
However, the Marseille coach remains aware of the importance of this trip to the Rock.
“
There are three points to take against a direct competitor, it is perhaps a little more important than usual.
»
It's a great match and a good challenge ahead of us because Marseille are a good team who play offensively.
Philip Clement
“
It will be a great match, against a very good Ligue 1 team
, savors Youssouf Fofana.
First there is this duel to win, before leaving for the World Cup.
Because we have a lot to gain after 90 minutes.
»
Indeed, the victorious team, if there is one, would certainly finish ahead of their evening opponent.
The winner would strike a blow and mark the spirits before this six-week break, while getting closer to Lens and Paris Saint-Germain.
"
It's a great match and a good challenge that awaits us because Marseille is a good team that plays offensively
," insists Philippe Clement, who is laying the foundations for victory.
The French international ASM environment wants to be cautious on its side.
“
The previous results do not reflect the quality of this training in my eyes.
“Before summarizing simply:”
it will take a great game to win.
»
The two teams that do not let go in this month of November.
After the meeting, Monegasques and Marseillais will take several days of rest, before carrying out a training course on the other side of the Pyrenees.
The teams will both go to Spain for ten days, but before that one last effort.