Motta: Monaco are the best team in Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta has acknowledged Monaco should be seen as the best team in Ligue 1 this season.

The champions looked set to secure a valuable 1-0 win over Leonardo Jardim’s side on Sunday at Parc des Princes only for Bernardo Silva to secure a 1-1 draw in second-half injury time.

The result keeps Monaco – who have scored 23 more goals than any other team – at the top of the table, level on points with Nice and three clear of PSG with 16 matches left to play.

And while Motta is refusing to give up hope of defending the title, he believes Monaco fully deserve their place at the summit.

“Honestly, I think they’re the best team in Ligue 1, in terms of what they have shown so far,” he said, as quoted by Le Parisien. “And they will be in the title race to the end.

“It’s not bad to be the chaser sometimes, even though it’s more difficult, because it all depends on the results of the other two teams.

“But I don’t think they’ll win every game. It’s up to us to keep a run of results going.”

PSG visit Rennes in the Coupe de France round-of-32 on Wednesday before a league trip to Dijon on Saturday.

Monaco travel to lowly Chambly in their cup clash before Saturday’s potentially crucial top-flight showdown with Nice at Stade Louis II.