AS Monaco may have been thrown off the title chase in defeat to Olympique Lyonnais last weekend, but coach Niko Kovac remains upbeat ahead of the principality side's meeting with Stade de Reims on Sunday.
Stade de Reims - AS Monaco
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Monaco had won 13 of their 16 Ligue 1 Uber Eats games since the turn of the year, as well as their previous five on the bounce, before being beaten 3-2 by Lyon at the Stade Louis II last Sunday, Rayan Cherki snatching all three points for the visitors a minute from time.
The principality side last took the title in 2017, and there was mounting hope they could do so again this term. The title chase is not mathematically over - Monaco are five points off LOSC's league-setting pace with nine left to play for - but Kovac is content with his maiden season either way.
Podium place
"After securing our place in the top four, I already said that our target was the podium," he explained. "We never talked about the title. We have the chance to be third, which is what we're aiming for. Five points behind Lille is a lot. I think Lille and PSG will fight for the league title. It'll be between the two.
Watch: Highlights of Monaco's 3-2 loss to Lyon
"I never aimed for the title. We lost against Lyon. We're disappointed but not too much because my players gave everything, did their best. We had the best chances. We were unlucky because we didn't score the third goal. But hey, that's football. that's life. We still have a point and our destiny in our hands."
Lengthy list of absentees
One thing certainly out of Kovac's control is attacking options in the final third. Sofiane Diop has an ankle injury, meaning he joins Gelson Martins and Aleksandr Golovin on the sidelines. Striker Stevan Jovetic has a calf complaint, meanwhile.
Reims begin the day in 11th on 42 points, with neither relegation nor European qualification a concern for the Champagne country club at this point of the season. David Guion's men drew 2-2 with Nîmes Olympique last Sunday, with Alexis Flip's first Ligue 1 Uber eats goal salvaging a share of the spoils 10 minutes from time.
Watch: Highlights of Reims's 2-2 draw with Nîmes
They also held Monaco by the same scoreline on the opening day of the season last August, Boulaye Dia and El Bilal Touré firing them into a 2-0 lead which Monaco clawed back, and the coach has called for a similar performance on Sunday.
'Aiming to win'
"Our league position is a coveted one," said the tactician, who is leaving at the end of the season. "We have a difficult run of fixtures ahead of us [against Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and Girondins de Bordeaux]. We're aiming for one or two wins from these games to maintain our place, but for that we'll have to perform, starting with Monaco on Sunday."
Guion's only long-term injury concern is Valon Berisha, the Kosovo midfielder out with a knee injury. Dion Lopy and Moussa Doumbia have also picked up knocks in training, though. Marshall Munetsi looks to have fully overcome his recent tendonitis after getting 90 minutes under his belt against Nîmes.
Possible teams
Reims: Rajkovic; Foket, Munetsi, Abdelhamid, Konan; Mbuku, Cassamá, Chavalerin; Touré, Dia, Zeneli
Monaco: Lecomte; Sidibé, Maripan, Disasi, Henrique; Fofana, Tchouaméni; Aguilar, Fabregas, Volland; Ben Yedder
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