Paris Saint-Germain went into their Ligue 1 clash with AS Monaco at the Stade Louis II looking for three away points to lift them into first place in the league standings.
The Parisians dominated the first half, but were unable to beat Monaco stopper Danijel Subasic, who made two good saves to deny Edinson Cavani.
Monaco offered very little going forward leaving Laurent Blanc's men to control the second half, only to find Subasic in great form again as the game finished goalless.
Find out how all of the action developed by reading our-minute-by-minute updates below.
Good evening everyone and welcome to our live coverage AS Monaco welcome travelling Paris Saint-Germain to the Stade Luis II in Ligue 1. Laurent Blanc's resurgent PSG side will be after three points to send them into top spot in the French top flight. Meanwhile, Leonardo Jardim's men will be seeking to build from their recent impressive victory over Arsenal in the Champions League.
This game might have been an all or nothing contest last season, but as it stands the pressure remains more so on the Parisians this evening. Despite some sticky patches last year, PSG have reinstated themselves into a good position to help retain their Ligue 1 crown. Victory tonight will see them move back above Lyon into first place.
Monaco lost two key players last summer in the shape of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez as they endured a tough start to this season. However, they've put together some good results in recent months and they now stand a very good chance of finishing in the top three.
PSG are currently on a good run of form that sees them sitting second in the form guide over the last six Ligue 1 games. Blanc's men have obtained 14 points from six, while Monaco have notched 11 from the same number of games.
These sides have already met once this season, with Monaco securing a 1-1 draw away from home last year. They'll be spurred on tonight following an impressive performance that saw them defeat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates in the Champions League.
Both teams are missing some key players for this clash. PSG are without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Motta, Serge Aurier and Lucas Moura. Tonight's hosts will have to endure the absences of Aymen Abdennour, Ricardo Carvalho and Andrea Raggi. Two important defenders missing right there.
Some team news for you now...
AS MONACO STARTING XI: Subasic; Fabinho, Kurzawa, Wallace, Toure, Moutinho, Silva, Carrasco, Kondogbia, Toulalan, Martial
AS MONACO SUBSTITUTES: Stekelenburg, Echiejile, Diallo, Dirar, Berbatov, Carvalho, Germain
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN STARTING XI: Sirigu; Silva, Marquinhos, Maxwell, Van der Wiel, Luiz, Matuidi, Verratti, Pastore, Cavani, Levezzi
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN SUBSTITUTES: Douchez, Camara, Digne, Kimpembe, Rabiot, Bahebeck, Augustin
Neither side taking any chances tonight then as both managers opt for strong teams. This evening's visitors will feature a frontline inclusive of Javier Pastore, Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi when in possession, with Blaise Matuidi and Marco Verratti sitting a little deeper in midfield.
Monaco will feature the presence of rising youngster Anthony Martial up top, with Dimitar Berbatov being left on the bench after his impressive performance in the Champions League. Monaco will be driven by the industry of Jeremy Toulalan and Joao Moutinho in the middle of the park, with Yannick Ferreira Carrasco also looking to provide some enterprise for AS.
It's interesting to know that the past four meetings between these two sides have ended in a 1-1 draw. I'm not too sure that's going to be the case tonight. PSG will be going into this clash with the bit between their teeth.
Scoring goals has been Monaco major problem in Ligue 1 this season, but they've also only conceded once in their last eight games. Jardim's men come into this game on the back of three straight wins.
Despite Zlatan's absence, PSG have plenty of talent on show tonight. That front three of Lavezzi, Pastore and Cavani could cause real problems without the experience of Abdennour, Carvalho and Raggi in the Monaco side.
We're just over five minutes away from kickoff and it's time for me to give a prediction. I'm fancying PSG to get the win they need to move above Lyon. They've slipped up far too many times this season to let this game pass them by. I'm going to say 3-1 to the visitors.
Don't forget these sides are playing each other twice in the space of four days. They're competing tonight and again in the quarter-finals of the French Cup, which you can also follow with me on Wednesday.
We've got a fantastic atmosphere at the Stade Louis II as we await the start of the game. This occasion feels a little different compared to last year's, PSG really need a win if they want to stake their claim for the title. Not just in terms of points, but also to help send out a message to both Lyon and Marseille that they really do mean business this time.
The players are now in the tunnel... This promises to be an exciting night of football. Let's hope that I don't jinx it.
Monaco's stadium doesn't tend to either be this busy or this loud. It's pretty packed by AS standards. Players are just shaking hands now with some sprightly French tunes blaring in the background.
If Monaco can produce the same quality as they did against Arsenal, we could be in for a bit of a blockbuster here.
KICKOFF! PSG get us underway, playing in their full blue strip. Monaco in red and white.
The away side move the ball back to their defensive line as they try to form a foothold. Monaco won't mind them sitting on the ball, with the hosts setup for the counter-attack tonight.
Martial shows some great feet to get past Verratti, who brings his opponent down harshly on the edge of the area for the game's first foul. The free kick is poor and PSG head away with ease.
Monaco have their first large share of possession as the defenders move the ball across the back, before pushing down the right flank. PSG win it back and launch a counter with Lavezzi, but he's forced to come home after the Monaco ranks start to amass on him.
Luiz shows some creative intent from his new midfield position, but his long ball into Cavani is far too powerful and it flies out for a goal kick.
Nothing to report in the way of chances so far, both sides are just looking to settle into the game. Luiz is wasteful again as he fails to find Lavezzi on the right flank by conceding a throw.
AS are looking to build from the back at the moment, which is a little unlike them - they're used to springing on the break. They have the ball in the net through Moutinho, but his run in behind the defence is declared offside.
It's been a positive start for Monaco. They've enjoyed some nice pockets of space just in front of the PSG defence, but so far the Parisians have matched them inch-for-inch.
Great work from Kurzawa sees the full-back break down PSG's right side and he almost gets in behind Van der Wiel, only for the defender to make a great recovering tackle that earns his side a goal kick.
PSG are looking crowded out in the middle in these opening exchanges with the ball often going back to the defence. Maxwell combines well with Matuidi down the left and his cross is cleared for a corner.
CLOSE! PSG whip the corner into the box and it clips the head of Fabinho, who defects the ball towards the back-post. Unfortunately for PSG, it's Veratti on the post, and he's just not tall enough to make the connection to head home.
SAVE! Lavezzi produces a brilliant run in behind to bring the ball down in the box following a wonderfully chipped ball from Pastore. He feeds Cavani with a cut-back, leaving Subasic to deny the striker with a decent save in the centre of the Monaco goal.
Finally PSG are showing some true signs of life when going forward. Maxwell finds space on the left to send in a long-ball for Lavezzi, but Subasic is quick and commanding off the line to collect the ball in flight.
Lavezzi's role is already clear, he's longing to make lots of forward runs in behind the Monaco back-line. He'll be relying on the likes of Matuidi and Pastore to set him on his way as early as possible.
20 minutes gone at the Stade Louis II and it's PSG who have come closest with that Cavani effort. It's taken them a little while to get moving but they're looking the part now. Cavani shows great movement this time to get in behind the defence, before feeding Lavezzi with a cheeky flick. The Argentine fires at goal, but Wallace comes across to block.
CLOSE! PSG should really be in front. Maxwell dinks a chip into Matuidi, who wins a knock-down in the centre of the box. The ball drops kindly to Lavezzi who is somehow unmarked, only for the frontman to guide his flick the wrong side of the post. He should have scored...
The away side have got some good variation to their attacking game at the moment. Lavezzi is making some threatening runs in behind, while Cavani is dropping deep to collect on the edge of the area. Monaco are using all their powers of concentration at the moment.
CLOSE! Another chance for PSG as they win the ball back in the middle of the park. Pastore sets Lavezzi away down the left channel and he flashes across the face of goal with Subasic looking worried.
Monaco are soaking the pressure up at the moment. They know they can be damaging on the counter so they may not mind this PSG dominance. Blanc's side have perhaps edged this half, but we're still locked at 0-0.
Monaco youngster Toure has been a little quiet, but he comes to the party with some great industry down the right channel. He gets the better of Maxwell only to see his flashed cross evade the AS bodies in the box.
SHOT! Monaco come forward with Kurzawa, who combines with Martial to send a ball across the box towards Moutinho at the back-post. The midfielder doesn't quite get full hold of the shot and he scuffs straight into the hands of Sirigu.
PSG have gone a little off the boil in the past five minutes. The three in the centre have dropped too deep, leaving the strikers isolated up top. Either Matudi or Pastore will need to push higher to help carve something out in these closing moments.
Kurzawa has show some promise in the first half. This time he breaks down the left side of the pitch in an attempt to pick out Martial in the box. However, he puts far too much on the cross and the ball flies out for a goal kick.
Pastore moves skilfully down the right now and Toure follows him all of the way. It looks like the playmaker may get a shot in, leaving the defender to block for a corner at the last moment. Luiz gets his head to the resulting delivery, but can't guide his effort on target and Monaco escape unscathed.
SHOT! Cavani is wasteful this time. He picks the ball up from Lavezzi in the box, turns his marker to create the space and blasts over the bar without troubling Subasic. That was a very good chance wasted...
HALF TIME: AS MONACO 0-0 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
The referee calls a half to an entertaining first half of football. Monaco have offered very little in the opening period, but they won't mind too much given the tactics they'll tend to operate with. PSG have seen lots of the ball and have mustered three decent chances to take the lead, only for Cavani to spurn them.
It's clear that PSG want the three points tonight - you can see that in their attacking intent. They're also leaving quite a few defensive players back, though, in order to nullify any threat of a Monaco counter.
You'd have to say that PSG edged that half despite the scoreline remaining 0-0. Blanc will be urging either Matuidi or Pastore to get forward a little more in the second half to help support Cavani and Lavezzi.
PSG have dominated the possessional statistics with 62% of the ball. They've also had five efforts, with only one coming on target.
Despite offering very little so far, Monaco won't be too upset with how the game has panned out. They'll be looking to grab a goal against the run of play, or by getting Martial in behind. If things don't go to plan, they always have Dimitar Berbatov to come on and play as a direct striker.
I'm still backing PSG to go on and win this encounter. I think Blanc will be asking much of the same from his side in the second half, though they might want to throw a few more bodies forward.
Here's a little snapshot of some of the action in the first half:
Si les Rouge et Blanc sont bien rentrés dans le match, Paris s'est procuré les occasions les plus dangereuses.#ASMPSG pic.twitter.com/pD3Nk7N8mv
— AS MONACO (@AS_Monaco) March 1, 2015
The players are now back out on the field as we await the start of the second half. Can PSG get the three points required to move back into top spot?
KICKOFF! Monaco get us back underway at the Stade Louis II. They surrender possession too tamely and Cavani wins a corner down on the left flank.
Lavezzi continues to demonstrate some world-class movement and he thinks he's in behind the Monaco defence having latched on to Verratti's pass, only for the linesman to raise his flag.
Luiz and Matuidi combine nicely on the move as PSG look to push into the Monaco box. Fabinho finally gets a foot in and Monaco are able to hoof away the danger.
PSG have a brilliant chance to counter and it's led by Pastore. Lavezzi continues to hold his line for what seems like forever, but Pastore decides to flick the other way for Cavani. His pass is poor and forces the striker out wide and the threat vanishes.
Monaco get a good chance to throw a ball into the box and Kurzawa willingly obliges with a powerful swinging effort into the middle. For some reason none of his teammates decide to gamble and the chance goes begging.
CHANCE! Pastore and Lavezzi combine nicely on the counter attack, with Pastore receiving a cut-back around nine yards out from goal. His shot is a weak one, though, and it lands comfortably in the palms of a grateful Subasic.
PSG have settled into a rhythm similar with that of the first half and they look likely to go in front at some point. Maxwell breaks in behind and he finds Matuidi, whose left-footed curler drops just wide of the left post.
Monaco need to work something out in the next 10 minutes, they're getting slightly overpowered in the middle. Pastore shows great feet to get in behind yet again, with Monaco recovering at the last minute to clear. Toure is being outplayed here. He needs some help from his teammates.
MONACO SUBSTITUTION: Toure is replaced by Nabil Dirar...
CLOSE! Verratti sends a lovely chip over the top into the path of Pastore. Subasic rushes off the line and the PSG man goes for a dink over the keeper's head. It looks like the stopper might catch his man, with the ball going wide. The referee is having none of it, however, and blows for a goal kick. How many of these chances are the Parisians going to miss?
MONACO SUBSTITUTION: Martial is replaced by Berbatov up top for the hosts.
Let's see if that change can spur Monaco into some action. They've continued to sit off for much of this match, ignoring the odd foray forward on the counter. PSG are still looking much the better side and seem more likely to go in front. This game is crying out for a goal, that's for sure.
Still not the required quality in the final third for the away side. Luiz feeds Van der Wiel down the right, with the full-back trying to bend a low cross into the path of his forward-lying teammates. He gets it all wrong, though, and the ball flashes wide for a goal kick.
Maxwell shows great feet down in his own corner to set his side away on the counter. Verratti and Matuidi exchange quick passes to keep things moving, before Toulalan steals in to retrieve possession for AS.
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN SUBSTITUTES: Matuidi comes off in place of youngster Adrien Rabiot, while Lavezzi is also replaced by another youngster in the shape of Jean-Christophe Bahebeck.
Perhaps a piece of individual brilliance might be the thing to open this game up. Monaco have hung in for a long time now and it would not be a huge surprise if they somehow nicked a goal.
Monaco hold a long spell of possession in the PSG half and Kondogbia launches an effort at goal that is deflected away for a corner. PSG break down the other end and Bahebeck is almost in, only for a sliding Toulalan to steal the ball away at the last minute.
Maxwell shows some invention inside the Monaco area as he slips in Pastore, who is perhaps forced out a little wide a he wins a corner. The kick is poor and Monaco clear without too much bother.
Poor from Pastore! He squares up the defenders and has the chance to slip Bahebeck in behind, only to deliver a real shocker of a pass and PSG lose an opportunity to test Subasic.
We should be in for an entertaining final few minutes here. PSG need a win really, and hopefully they go for it! Pastore gives the ball away cheaply yet again on the left flank and Monaco can relieve the pressure.
Verratti gets things moving with a lovely cross-field pass for Bahebeck, but he can't get in behind Fabinho who defends resolutely to win a goal kick.
YELLOW CARD! Luiz goes into the books for a foul on Fabinho. No real need to gave away that free kick.
PSG are running out of time to grab a winner here. Only three efforts on target all game! The Parisians have just lacked a cutting edge when required.
Suspect again from Luiz to say the least. The ball drops to the midfielder around 30 yards from goal, he goes for glory only to drag his shot pitifully wide without troubling Subasic.
Three minutes of additional time. Bahebeck is slipped in down the right flank and he delivers a woeful cross that goes out of play and comes back in at the back post.
FULL TIME: AS MONACO 0-0 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
So PSG are unable to get the goal to send them back to the top of Ligue 1. They've paid the price for a lack of incision at the Stade Louis II. Monaco were pretty poor too and offered very little going forward. They'll be happy with the point, though, as their unbeaten run now moves on to four games.
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
