FEATURE | Three things we learned as PSG progress past Monaco to Champions League Round of 16 | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain progressed past domestic rivals AS Monaco to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 with a 2-2 draw. Les Monégasques threatened the reigning champions’ evening with an impressive first-half performance. However, Mamadou Coulibaly’s 58th-minute red card changed the complexion of the game, with Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring shortly after. An injury-time leveller from Jordan Teze would add some jeopardy, but not enough as Les Parisiens would progress 5-4 on aggregate. 

Glass jaw could cost PSG’s Champions League defence

A running theme this season has been PSG’s inability to match the same levels that saw them conquer Europe last season. This has been no more noticeable than in their defensive performances. Monaco were able to race to a two-goal lead last week, but were pegged back by an impressive three-goal comeback.

It looked like a similar story tonight as, within ten minutes, Monaco had registered two big chances to threaten a ropey defence. This theme continued into the first half, with PSG sloppy in keeping possession and looking chaotic when asked to defend their box. It didn’t feel surprising when Maghnes Akliouche opened the scoring and levelled the scores on aggregate near the stroke of halftime. 

Like last Tuesday, PSG were able to mount a localised remontada. However, Luis Enrique will be concerned by what he saw, especially when Monaco scored a second late into the match. Monaco are a team that Les Parisiens should be able to blow out of the water, and they’ll be coming up against far better and far more efficient attacks if they want to progress far in this competition. 

At this point, PSG are looking far too fragile, and it could cost them their Champions League title defence. 

Ill-discipline haunts Monaco

Realistically, Monaco’s hopes to progress to the Round of 16 were dashed the moment Coulibaly picked up his second yellow, and the referee flashed the slip of red. It took Bradley Barcola just two minutes to find the back of the net, following the sending off. However, perhaps it’s a situation that Les Monégasques should be used to by now. 

This is the third time that they have met PSG since the campaign began, and in each match they’ve had a player sent off. This isn’t an issue contained to just their matches with the capital side. Monaco have received nine red cards since the start of the season, and six since the start of 2026. 

At this point, ill-discipline has become a recurrence for the club, and it cost Les Monégasques dearly tonight. And it is something that needs to be addressed if Monaco have any hope of progressing far in the Coupe de France and climbing back into the European places in the league table. 

Could Monaco have been braver?

The Monaco players will likely watch back this game and ask themselves: could we have been braver at the end? PSG were rattled when Teze scored in the 91st minute. Wout Faes had an excellent chance at the death to give Monaco the lead on the night and level the scores on aggregate, but couldn’t make a good enough connection. 

This late flicker of hope brings into question the decision by the squad to put all their outfielders behind the ball until the dying minutes of the game when they had fallen far behind on aggregate. Perhaps they should have gone for it and really thrown everything at getting the result. It’s, of course, easier said than done, but it’s hard not to imagine that Monaco will consider this a missed opportunity. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland