Former Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Fernandez says that AS Monaco are the team who impress him most among the four teams chasing the title in Ligue 1 Uber Eats this season.
The race to be crowned champions of France in 2020-21 could hardly be tighter with eight games left to play, with leaders PSG just four points clear of Monaco, who are fourth.
The capital club play closest pursuers LOSC - who, like PSG, have 63 points - on Saturday, while Olympique Lyonnais currently complete the podium with one more point (60) than Monaco (59).
Fernandez, who won the French topflight as a PSG player in 1986 and later led the side to four cup triumphs as coach in the 1990s, doesn't expect his former employers to be toppled this term, but he does think Monaco have the best chance of pushing them all the way.
Watch: Highlights of Monaco's 2-0 victory over PSG in February
"If Monaco can beat Metz, I really think they can finish second," he told French sports daily l'Equipe. "I really like their progress. When Niko Kovac arrived last summer, frankly, I didn't believe too much. I said to myself it was yet another change in course and strategy, the third in such a short time.
"Today, Monaco exudes the most quality in every area. The Fofana-Tchouaméni duo is a treat. Maripan and Badiashile were heavily criticised and came back really well. And then when you see Jovetic, Golovin, Fabregas, the guys on the bench, they come in, they score and they respect the coach's choices. Monaco exudes strength."
Monaco were the last team to take the league title off PSG, Kylian Mbappé and Radamel Falcao inspiring Leonardo Jardim's side to victory in 2016-17. The principality side beat Paris home and away this season but have run out of six-pointers to play against them this time around.