AS Monaco vs Olympique Marseille

Monaco host Marseille at the Stade Louis II in an early-season clash that carries plenty of weight, with both sides looking to bounce back from underwhelming 2025-26 campaigns — Monaco finished seventh, Marseille fifth after a turbulent year that included a heavy defeat to PSG. Both clubs enter this season under new permanent head coaches, eager for points that stake an early claim on the European places. Marseille arrive off a strong preseason, unbeaten in four of five friendlies including a win over Athletic Bilbao, but must replace the goal output lost when Mason Greenwood and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left the club; Igor Paixão, Amine Gouiri and new signing Timothy Weah are expected to pick up the slack. Monaco will again lean on striker Folarin Balogun, prolific for much of last season. The sides last met in April, when a Balogun goal gave Monaco a 2-1 win that stretched their run to seven straight victories. Our prediction: 2-1