Ansu Fati’s deadly efficiency yet rare starts underline Monaco paradox | OneFootball

Ansu Fati has Ligue 1’s sharpest scoring rate yet rarely starts for Monaco, who host Angers on Saturday at 19:00. According to L'Équipe, recurring fitness issues are a key factor.

At Lens last Saturday he sealed a 3-2 win with a lob three minutes after coming on. Four days later he did not feature in the Champions League play-off second leg at the Parc des Princes, ending his warm-up as changes were made for Maghnes Akliouche, Denis Zakaria and Folarin Balogun.

Coach Sébastien Pocognoli says Fati is always in the plan, but physical management weighs heavily and timing matters when Monaco are suffering without the ball. At 10 against 11 after conceding twice, he judged it was not the moment, adding defensive work is not natural for the Barcelona loanee.

Fati, 23, has eight league goals at one every 71.5 minutes, the best ratio among players with at least 500 minutes. Across Europe’s top five leagues only Bayern’s Harry Kane is ahead at 66.4. He is in Ligue 1’s top 10 despite just five starts and 10 cameos, including three penalties.

Pocognoli opened with three straight starts for him in October, then only three more across the next four months. The coach links the stop-start rhythm mainly to fitness, citing a missed Bodö trip in November, hamstring trouble in December and a February calf knock. He still thinks Fati could be important before the season ends, while Lamine Camara praises his intelligence and two-footed finishing.

Source: L'Équipe