Clermont vs Monaco prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-08-12 13:00.
Clermont start their third consecutive Ligue 1 season with optimism in abundance after their shock eighth-place finish last season, which was secured in spectacular fashion when they beat reigning champions PSG 3-2 away on the final day. That was just the cherry on top of a magical run-in for Clermont, who lost only once in their final ten matches (W8, D1) to prove they more than belong in France’s top-flight.
Manager Pascal Gastien will be priming his side to pick up right where they left off, although starting a season favourably isn’t synonymous with the Lancers who’ve won their opening round of a new league campaign only four times in the last 21 seasons (D11, L6). Breaking that trend here would be historic on more than one front, as it would also see them claim a first ever top-flight win over opponents Monaco after four failed attempts (D1, L3).
Monaco won’t be sharing the positivity of their hosts after their poor showing last season saw them finish outside the European spots in sixth, that being only the third time since their promotion to Ligue 1 in 2013/14 they’ve placed outside the top-three. That proved the end of Philippe Clement’s time at the club, as the age of Adi Hütter begins with the hope he can guide Monaco back to the upper echelons of French football.
Hütter will be hoping for one trait of his new club to remain, and that’s their tendency to start fast, having only lost three of their last 21 opening league fixtures (W12, D6). To build upon that, the Monégasques must break the shackles of last season's poor run-in then, where they were victorious in only one of their last five away games (D1, L3).
Key battle: The fate of this match could be decided by either Clermont’s Grejohn Kyei or Monaco’s Aleksandr Golovin, as both finished on the winning side in all eight of the Ligue 1 matches they scored in last season.
Hot streak: Monaco were unbeaten last season when starting an away league match as the betting favourites (W9, D3).