Kovac replaced Robert Moreno as Monaco coach in July, and the former Bayern Munich manager has wasted little time in ringing the changes at the Stade Louis II. Paul Mitchell has joined from Red Bull's global operation as sporting director, whilst captain Kamil Glik has been sold to Italian outfit Benevento.

Early reunion for Disasi

Curiously, the replacement for the latter is Axel Disasi, the young centre-back who attracted reported interest from a number of English Premier League clubs after helping Reims to the meanest defensive record in the division last season - the Champagne club only conceding 21 goals, three fewer than champions PSG.

Kovac is busily learning French, and has already begun to stamp his authority on the team, with his three pre-season results so far reading: a 2-1 loss to Standard Liège, a 1-1 draw with another of his former clubs, Eintracht Frankfurt; and then a 2-0 victory over Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

"Hello. I just wanted to say I'm sorry because I don't speak French yet, but I hope to learn quickly," Kovac explained - in French - at his first press conference. "Making this choice was simple. Monaco are a great club with a great history. The last few seasons have perhaps not lived up to the club's expectations, but we'll work hard to bring the club back to the top of Ligue 1."

A number of first-team regulars from last season have followed Glik out of the exit door, with loanees Tiemoué Bakayoko returning to Chelsea and Islam Slimani and Adrien Silva to Leicester City respectively over the summer months.

Onyekuru chance?

Kovac - predominantly a 4-2-3-1 coach at Bayern - would appear to have settled on a similar system with Monaco, with last year's 18-goal top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder leading the line. Disasi should start in the heart of defence alongside Benoît Badiashile, while Henry Onyekuru, fresh from helping Galatasary win the Turkish Superlig, will hope to have done enough in pre-season to seal his spot on the wing.

Kovac has a fully fit squad to choose from, although left-back Fodé Ballo-Touré and forward Keita Baldé are each just one yellow card away from a suspension.

Watch: Highlights of Monaco's 1-1 draw with Reims in their most recent meeting

Monaco had the edge over Reims last season, with 1-1 and 0-0 draws in Ligue 1 Uber Eats sandwiching the principality side's 2-1 victory in January's Coupe de France Round of 64. Reims finished three places above Monaco in sixth, however, which has guaranteed them a first shot at European football since 1963.

European Cup runners up in 1956 and 1959 boasting the likes of Raymond Kopa and Just Fontaine in their ranks, Reims only returned to the top flight two seasons ago, but Kovac's opposite number David Guion has done an impressive job since being appointed coach on a full-time basis in May 2017.

Well-earned stroke of luck

PSG's victory over Olympique Lyonnais in the Coupe de la Ligue final in July meant that the final UEFA Europa League qualification place went to Reims. A stroke of fortune, perhaps, but Guion is rightly convinced that his side deserved the opportunity.

"This is reward for our hard work," he said. "This season we beat each of the top three [PSG, Olympique de Marseille and Stade Rennais FC] without conceding a goal. We only lost seven games, had the best defence in Ligue 1 and reached the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue. We now have an opportunity we want to seize."

To that end, Reims have played record Slovenian champions NK Maribor and Danish Superliga winners FC Midtjylland in recent weeks, beating the former 2-0 and the latter 3-1. Arbër Zeneli has been the biggest winner in pre-season. The Kosovo midfielder scored both goals against Maribor and plundered five all-told this summer.

Exciting new signings

He has been joined in les rouges et blancs' squad by international teammate Valon Berisha in recent weeks, the 27-year-old sure to add some grit to the midfield after signing from SS Lazio. Perhaps the biggest departure not called Disasi has been last season's first-choice left-back Hassane Kamara, who has joined OGC Nice, although he looks to have been adequately replaced by Belgium U21 international Thibault De Smet.

There will be no place for Tasos Donis, however. The Greece forward twisted his ankle a few weeks ago, having already been struggling with a groin strain. Moussa Doumbia should take his regular place in support of Boulaye Dia up front, although he too will be careful not to pick up another yellow card which would result in suspension.

Possible line-ups

Monaco: Lecomte; Aguilar, Disasi, Badiashile, Ballo-Touré; Fofana, Tchouaméni; Martins, Golovin, Onyekuru; Ben Yedder

Reims: Rajkovic; Foket, Maresic, Abdelhamid, De Smet; Kutesa, Dingomé, Berisha, Zeneli; Doumbia, Dia