Monaco will finish their England camp against Coventry on Friday in a sixth and final pre-season match, with Denis Zakaria expected to make a brief return and Folarin Balogun left out. The game, set for 20:30 French time, is Monaco's last tune-up before they open their Europa Conference League play-off against Ferencvaros on Thursday.
That is why Coventry Vs Monaco is drawing attention now: it is the last stop before the competitive season begins to bite. Monaco are chasing a third straight win to close out a six-day stay at the Coventry Building Society Arena after beating Liverpool 3-2 at Anfield on Sunday, a result marked by Paris Brunner's header.
Zakaria is expected to feature only briefly, which makes his return useful but limited. Balogun will not play because he is nearing an exit and is still short of fitness, while Paul Pogba is out after a left hamstring issue picked up in training on Tuesday. Monaco also intend to terminate Pogba's contract, turning a routine friendly into a sharper squad test than the fixture list suggests.
The match also carries a small measure of continuity. A year ago Monaco won 5-0 at St George's Park in a friendly, and now they face another English side as Frank Lampard's team come in as newly promoted Premier League champions returning to the elite after 25 years away. For Monaco, the next confirmed date matters more than the setting: Thursday brings the first leg against Ferencvaros, and Friday is the last chance to settle the details before that tie starts.
