Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique may be unsure how to approach the second leg of the Champions League playoff against Monaco on Wednesday.
Although PSG is 3-2 ahead, protecting leads is not his style. But attacking too much against a technically strong Monaco side could expose his team to costly counterattacks.
Coach Sébastien Pocognoli's Monaco has 13 goals in the past six games. Although two of those have been defeats, the attack is looking much sharper.
Monaco went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes against PSG last week, only for clumsy defending to allow PSG back into the game. Against Lens on Saturday, Monaco overturned a 2-0 deficit with a three-goal burst in 10 second-half minutes.
PSG's defense looks weaker than last season — conceding against Monaco after just 55 seconds — and is not helped by uncertainty over the goalkeeper.
Since Gianluigi Donnarumma’s departure, Luis Enrique has alternated between Matvei Safonov and summer signing Lucas Chevalier.
Pairing Ansu Fati and Folarin Balogun in attack could be Pocognoli’s best option.
Fati has nine goals in 20 games, including a fine lob in against Lens on Saturday.
The former Barcelona teenage prodigy has been hampered by minor injuries this season. He went on as a substitute against Lens, but Pocognoli is likely to start him against PSG.
Balogun has also dealt with injuries but finally seems fully fit. The American forward's two goals against PSG last week and his opportunist strike against Lens showed he is back in form.
Their movement up front, allied to the runs of attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche, may stretch PSG's defense and leave space for midfielders behind.
Fati and Akliouche can dribble at speed, while Balogun’s versatility allows him to play wide or through the middle.
Rapid counterattacks are Monaco's strength.
When Monaco beat PSG 1-0 in Ligue 1 in November the goal came from a quick break. On Saturday, the third goal against Lens was a slick counterattack ending with Fati's lob.
PSG showed vulnerability to quick balls played behind the full backs when it lost at Rennes 3-1 this month; while Monaco's first goal last Tuesday saw left back Caio Henrique finding space behind right back Achraf Hakimi and Aleksandr Golovin crossing for Balogun to head in.
Henrique and right back Vanderson both like to attack. This may force Luis Enrique to instruct his own attacking full backs, Hakimi and left back Nuno Gomes, not to push up too much.
