- 1 AS Monaco vs RC Lens: five wins, one draw and top spot up for grabs
- 2 Monaco, a flawless start to the season
- 3 Lens, three games without a win and a weakened back line
- 4 Ligue 1 prediction AS Monaco vs RC Lens
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
AS Monaco vs RC Lens: five wins, one draw and top spot up for grabs 
Monaco are still unbeaten this season: five wins and a draw in all competitions. The club from the Rock host Lens on Friday 18 September at 20:45 CET, at the Stade Louis-II.
This one opens Ligue 1 matchday five. A win would send ASM clear at the top, with the club currently sharing first place with Lille and Rennes.
Monaco’s start has gathered pace with each passing week. A win at Le Havre (0-1), a statement home victory over Marseille (2-0), then a trip to the Parc des Princes that ended in three points against PSG (1-2).
The first slip came last week in Strasbourg, a 1-1 draw that cost them two points. The unbeaten run, though, is still alive heading into the international break.
Lens arrive in a very different mood. The Artois club kicked off the Dino Toppmoller era by denying PSG the Trophee des champions (1-0), then blasted Auxerre (5-2) on the opening weekend.
Since then, there has been no league win at all: defeats to Strasbourg (2-1) and Lorient (0-1), then a draw at Le Mans (2-2). Three straight league games without a victory for a side that had just beaten Slavia Prague 3-2 in the Champions League.
Recent history does at least give Lens a little hope. Monaco have not beaten them at home for three years, and the last ten meetings have ended with three Monaco wins, three draws and four Lens victories.
Monaco, a flawless start to the season 
Six competitive matches, five wins, one draw: ASM have not lost yet in 2026-27. That record spans both the league and European qualifying.
Their place in the Conference League was secured after seeing off Gornik Zabrze, 3-2 in Poland and 4-1 at the Stade Louis-II. Their continental campaign does not begin until mid-October.
That lack of immediate European pressure matters here. Monaco can name their strongest XI without juggling the calendar, which is not something every rival can say.
Paris Brunner has led the line since the restart. The 20-year-old has scored five goals in six matches, including the one in Strasbourg.
Camara is running the midfield and should keep his place in the starting line-up. His partnership with Zakaria gives ASM a double pivot that can keep the ball and snuff out transitions.
The treatment room is still busy, though. Coulibaly, Teze and Soubeir are out, while the attack is still waiting for Minamino, Fati and Balogun, with the latter two yet to play a single minute this season.
Try it for $0.99.
Lens, three games without a win and a weakened back line 
Two defeats and a draw: Lens have not won in Ligue 1 since the opening round. The 5-2 win at Auxerre already feels like a different campaign.
Strasbourg (2-1) and Lorient (0-1) both beat the blood and gold in back-to-back league games. The 2-2 draw at Le Mans last weekend only stretched the run at the worst possible time.
Europe, though, has shown a different side to the same squad. The comeback 3-2 win away to Slavia Prague in the Champions League was a reminder of what this group can do when it has to dig in.
Florian Thauvin remains the main attacking reference with five goals and one assist in all competitions. Abdallah Sima comes into this one off a week in which he scored twice, giving Toppmoller two reliable outlets up front.
The absentee list bites hardest in defence. Centre-backs Baidoo and Nawrocki are missing, along with first-choice midfielder Titraoui and left wing-back Chavez.
Abdulhamid is still struggling with a knock and could miss a fifth straight game at right wing-back. Ganiou, who pulled out late at Le Mans, is being hoped for: his absence opened the door for Gradit to return to the XI and for Todibo to make his debut.
Probable AS Monaco line-up: Hradecky – Vanderson, Sané, Dier, Nazinho – Camara, Zakaria – Abline, Golovin, Idumbo – Brunner.
Probable RC Lens line-up: Risser – Antonio, Gradit, Todibo – Aguilar, Cuisance, Bulatovic, Udol – Thauvin, Sima – Edouard.
Ligue 1 prediction AS Monaco vs RC Lens
Our prediction: AS Monaco to win
Monaco are the only side in this fixture yet to lose a match this season, and the only points they have dropped came away from home. Lens, by contrast, have not won a league game since opening day.
The balance also shows in the available squads: Lens turn up without their two first-choice centre-backs, Baidoo and Nawrocki, against a Brunner who has five goals in six matches. Add Monaco’s blank European calendar until mid-October, while the Artois side come in off a trip to Prague.
The 2.14 price on a Monaco win is being driven mainly by the head-to-head record. It does not match the current form. Monaco are the pick.
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
_________
First, a word on our free predictions
- What we publish on mathodds is analysis, nothing more. We offer an opinion, a read on the moment, but never a guarantee. Sport is still sport: unpredictable. A red card, an injury, a freak goal from nowhere… and the script changes completely.
- Let’s be clear: there is no risk-free bet. Even when something looks obvious, it never really is. And yes, that means you can lose. It is inevitable at some point.
- The best approach is to stay sensible. Bet small, set a budget and stick to it. And whatever you do, don’t touch money you need to live. Most of all: don’t chase your losses. That rarely ends well.
- A bet should stay a game, not a job or a source of income. If it starts taking up too much space in your life, if it winds you up or puts you under pressure, take a break. And if you need to, speak to a specialist organisation. That is what they are there for.
- In the end, responsibility is yours. Reading our content means accepting that risk exists and will never disappear, even with the best analysis in the world.
- Essential reminder: betting is forbidden to minors and must follow the law in your country. Gambling can quickly go wrong (financial losses, family tension, addiction). Need Help? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In the UK? Visit https://www.gambleaware.org/https://www.gambleaware.org/.
No commitment from us
Our predictions are not a contract. They carry no legal weight. In plain English: you cannot rely on them to claim anything if a bet loses.
Information changes
A prediction is always based on what we know when it is written. But in the meantime, a team sheet changes (such as AS Monaco’s), a player gets injured, the weather turns… and the analysis can quickly be out of date. We cannot be held responsible for that.
Your role
Before you bet, simply check that wagering is legal where you are. If it is not, that is your responsibility, not ours.
Responsible gambling first
We cannot say it enough: bet in moderation. If you are struggling to stay in control, do not wait to get help. We cannot be responsible for compulsive or excessive use of the information published on the site.
Legal age
mathodds content is for adults only. By browsing here, you confirm that you are old enough to bet under the law.
About the images…
The AS Monaco and RC Lens images and logos on mathodds, including those linked to Ligue 1, are there only to illustrate our articles. They do not mean we have an official link with any federation or sports body, and we make no claim to any rights over them.
Those rights belong to the original creators. If, despite our care, any image causes an issue, contact us: it will be removed without delay.
Our only aim in using these images is to make the reading experience better. Nothing more. No commercial gain, no taking credit for anyone else’s work.
Leave a Reply