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Monaco v Paris Saint-Germain: Jardim wants no Champions League distractions

SoccerNews in Ligue 1 27 Feb 2015

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Monaco have no time to celebrate their impressive win at Arsenal, as champions Paris Saint-Germain visit in Ligue 1 action on Sunday.

Leonardo Jardim has warned Monaco not to rest on their laurels following the fine win at Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League as they entertain Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.

Monaco put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals thanks to a surprise 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

The Ligue 1 side drew plaudits for the way they ruthlessly exposed Arsenal’s defensive frailities with a clinical display of counter-attacking football.

However, head coach Jardim is keen not to dwell on the victory as they face champions PSG twice in the space of four a days – a trip to the Parc des Princes for the Coupe de France on Wednesday following Sunday’s league encounter at the Stade Louis II.

“The players are working well and are very receptive to our message and objectives,” Jardim said.

“My players are very motivated. PSG are difficult, but we will always have the same ambition to win.

“Now is not the time to think of the Champions League. The objective at the moment is PSG.

“Playing against PSG is almost like playing a game in the Champions League.”

Monaco – who earned a last-gasp 1-1 draw at PSG in the return fixture last October – still maintain hopes of reaching the top three and just one defeat in the past 10 league outings has boosted their cause.

However, Jardim must make do without influential centre-back Aymen Abdennour for the PSG double-header after he was hit with two-match ban following his sending off in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Nice.

PSG have suspension troubles of their own to contend with as top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic will sit out the two Monaco clashes.

The Sweden international was hit with a retrospective punishment for a challenge on Saint-Etienne’s Romain Hamouma last month.

Ibrahimovic is not the only absentee for head coach Laurent Blanc, winger Lucas Moura was ruled out for four weeks earlier on Friday with an adductor injury.

Despite those notable absences, PSG are in confident mood having gone 11 matches unbeaten in all competitions and they sit just two points adrift of leaders Lyon.

Full-back Gregory van der Wiel is expecting a tough encounter at the Stade Louis II, but the Netherlands international is confident the team have enough quality to clinch a crucial three points.

“It’s a tough game,” he told PSG’s official website. “At this time of the season there are no simple matches.

“You have to fight in every match to take three points. We have to be highly motivated and concentrated to take three points.

“Playing away at Monaco who are a quality team is complicated, but I trust the team.”

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