The first game of the new season of Ligue 1 will see Le Havre move to Monaco this Saturday, an opportunity for the Monegasques to launch their campaign well. After a rescue at the end of last season, the Havre team underwent a major renewal of its summer staff, with nine new recruits. These reinforcements cover all areas of the game, including players like Mory Diaw as goaltender, Seko in defense, and attackers like Namli and Samaatta. The team also experienced the departure of an iconic figure of the club, Ayew. Le Havre played several prep games, with a mixed score including two defeats and two draws, as well as a defeat against Deportivo La Coruña. The arbitration of this game will be ensured by Ruddy Buquet, assisted by two referees and a VAR.

Monaco, for its part, benefited from rigorous preparation against teams of different levels, ranging from Coventry to Inter Milan. The Monegasque workforce has undergone little change, with some new integrations like Dier and Hradecky. Coach Hütter confirmed his tactical choice in favour of 4-4-2. The team has known weaknesses, especially in defence with dangerous ball losses, a lack of balance and a sometimes uninventive attack, often based on individual exploits. Despite these tactical gaps, the talent of the players allows Monaco to perform against many teams.

On paper, Monaco is widely preferred for this first game. The results of the pre-season of Le Havre do not reassure as to their ability to compete with the Monegasques. However, Coach Digard is known for his ability to surprise, and everything is possible in football, especially given the known weaknesses of the Le Havre team. This game promises to be interesting, although the advantage clearly seems to be on the Monaco side.