AS Monaco’s 100% win record under Filipe Luís came to an end at the Meinau on Saturday, as RC Strasbourg Alsace held the Principality club to a tense draw (1-1).
Luís’ winning run as Monaco manager has come to an end, but what will remain is his record. None of his predecessors at the Stade Louis II have done what he did, winning all of his first five games in the dugout. It could have been six. The Brazilian’s tone post-match said as much, and whilst fine margins came into play, so did some questionable refereeing.
Despite an exquisite long-range equaliser from Paris Brunner, it was Éric Wattellier, the referee, who made himself the star of the show with some contentious calls that enraged the Principality club, who will write to the relevant authorities in order to gain clarity on some of the decisions made during the game.
Brunner the pantomime villain
Monaco will claim that a handball should have been signalled just prior to Strasbourg’s free-kick just after half-time. From that dead ball, a whipped ball was flicked past Lukas Hradecky by his own defender, Sadibou Sané. Monaco, to that point, had lacked the spark that had lit up their start to the season and allowed them to go into Saturday’s game as the only team in Ligue 1 to have won their first three games.
But, as was the case at the Parc des Princes the previous weekend, there was a reaction from Luís’ men. Paris Brunner, the unexpected breakout star in Ligue 1 this season, forced Chelsea loanee Filip Jorgensen into action as he dived low to his right to tip the Monaco forward’s header onto the post.
But he could do nothing about the German’s effort in the 71st minute. Receiving the ball in space, he drove towards the RCSA box and unleashed a thunderbolt that beat Jorgensen low to his right. Silence descended on the Meinau. Then came the jeers as Brunner celebrated in front of the Strasbourgeois Kop, inciting their anger with an imitation of a knife cutting a throat. He was subsequently booed by the home crowd for the remainder of the encounter.
Brunner, who risks a suspension, explained himself post-match: “The supporters were talking about my family, about my mum, my dad. I could see them. There was a lot of emotion. I didn’t want to be disrespectful. I wouldn’t say that I regret it, but it isn’t the message that I wanted to send. It was misunderstood. I wanted to say, ‘What a goal; it’s over!'”
Luís critical of refereeing display
But it wasn’t quite over and Monaco, reinvigorated, pushed against a Strasbourg side now on the back foot. Denis Zakaria saw a goal disallowed. There was no disputing the offside that saw the strike ruled out, but there was more debate about an incident in the 89th minute. Matthis Abline was felled in the box. Wattellier was undeterred, but he was not sent to review the action on the screen. Replays showed clear contact.
“Errors can happen,” said Luís post-match. “If there was the same rule as at the U20 World Cup, we could have made the referee look at the screen. He would have had to review it because when I watch it back, there is no doubt [that there is a penalty]. In real time, it is hard for the referee, but technology is there to help him.”
That help was not forthcoming and so Monaco were forced to settle for a draw. As of Sunday morning, Monaco are still top of Ligue 1; only Lille, who face ESTAC Troyes, can topple them before the conclusion of the gameweek. RC Lens await Les Monégasques next week as they look to head into the extended international break on a high.
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Photo source: AS Monaco