Clermont Foot and AS Monaco will get their 2023-24 campaign underway when they meet at the Stade Gabriel-Montpied on Sunday.
Clermont Foot surprised everyone in the 2022-23 season, finishing eighth in the Ligue 1 table, a drastic improvement on their 17th-placed finish in the 2021-22 campaign. They won 17 of their 38 league matches last term and were only eight points behind the last European spot.
They were particularly impressive in the final stretch of the season, picking up eight wins and losing just once in their last 10 games. Pascal Gastien's side even beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 away from home in their final league game of the 2022-23 season.
They have looked pretty good in pre-season, winning five of their six friendlies in the summer. Clermont have kept almost their entire squad intact and have navigated the transfer window without losing any of their key players. As such, there's every chance they fare as well this season as they did last term.
Meanwhile, AS Monaco suffered an underwhelming campaign last time out. They finished sixth in the Ligue 1 table in the 2022-23 season, just outside the European berths. But it's worth noting that they had the second-best attacking record in the league, scoring 70 goals in 38 matches.
They also had the seventh-worst defensive record in Ligue 1 last season, shipping in 58 goals in 38 games. That's something Adi Hutter will want his team to improve on as they simply cannot afford to be as leaky at the back if they are aspiring to have a better campaign this time.
Clermont Foot vs AS Monaco Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Clermont are yet to beat Monaco in Ligue 1. They have lost thrice and drawn once.
- Clermont have failed to pick up a single point from their two home Ligue 1 matches against Monaco so far.
- Since the start of April 2023, only Lens have picked up more points (27) than Clermont (23) in Ligue 1.
- Monaco have conceded a loss in just one of their matches on the first matchday of the last eight seasons.
- Monaco lost the last three Ligue 1 matches of the 2022-23 season.
Clermont Foot vs AS Monaco Prediction
Clermont Foot finished the 2022-23 season on a high. But Monaco were poor towards the end of the campaign. There's not much to separate the two teams on paper.
In recent times, Monaco have done well on the road while Clermont have been excellent at home. This match could end in a draw but it's likely to be an entertaining affair.
Prediction: Clermont Foot 2-2 AS Monaco
Clermont Foot vs AS Monaco Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals - Yes
Tip 3: Both teams to score - Yes