Monaco forced to settle for point against Montpellier

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:19 am
Lucas Barrios missed a penalty for Montpellier.
VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images

Monaco's Champions League bid suffered a setback as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Montpellier on Tuesday night.

The hosts could only close the gap to third-placed Marseille to two points following their second straight draw.

Indeed, it could have been even worse for Monaco, with Lucas Barrios missing a penalty for Montpellier early in the second half.

Following a quiet opening 20 minutes, during which neither side managed to muster a noteworthy effort at goal, Bryan Dabo went close for visitors Montpellier when his 20-yard free-kick flew wide of the left post, with Daniel Subasic seemingly beaten in the Monaco goal.

Montpellier had another decent chance just before the half-hour mark, but a surprised Barrios failed to find the target from close range after Subasic had pushed Morgan Sanson's curling 20-yard effort into his path.

Monaco finally had an opportunity to test Geoffrey Jourdren, but Yannick Ferreira Carrasco blasted a well-positioned free-kick at the wall.

Layvin Kurzawa had the ball in the net when he headed Joao Moutinho's free-kick beyond Jourdren, but the assistant's flag was up.

Shortly after the restart Montpellier had a penalty claim turned down when Dabo went down under pressure from Nabil Dirar, but, when the same two players came together a few minutes later, referee Said Ennjimi had no choice but to point at the spot.

Barrios was charged with the responsibility but the Paraguay international blazed his penalty high and wide.

The few thousand inside the Stade Louis II might have expected a response from their team, but it failed to materialise as Joao Moutinho's free-kick, which the Montpellier wall took the sting out of, was all the home fans had to shout about as the final stages approached.

Then, with little over 10 minutes left, Monaco had their first real opportunity of the game.

Jeremy Toulalan and Dimitar Berbatov combined well, but the latter's pull-back was blasted straight at Jourdren by Bernardo Silva.

There was still time for Kurzawa to try his luck from distance after latching on to Berbatov's clever pass, but his effort went sailing over the bar and with that went any chance of all three points for Monaco.