AS Monaco failed to close in on the UEFA Champions League places after drawing 0-0 at home to Montpellier Herault on Tuesday, in a match postponed earlier this year.
The principality’s outfit could have gone level on points with Olympique de Marseille in third, the final Champions League qualifying place, had they won at the Stade Louis II.
With seven games to go, Monaco remain fourth on 55 points, two behind Marseille and seven behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
Photo: AFP
It could have been worse for the Champions League quarter-finalists, who face Juventus in their first leg encounter on Tuesday next week, had Lucas Barrios not missed a second half penalty — the visitors’ best chance in an otherwise dull encounter.
It was a second straight stalemate following Friday’s 1-1 draw with AS Saint-Etienne that seriously dented Monaco’s faint hopes of wresting the Ligue 1 title from PSG’s grasp, although Leonardo Jardim’s men still remain well-placed to snare a European spot next season.
Monaco had requested for the match to be postponed again to alleviate their fixture pileup, but the French League refused.
After a rough start to the season, Montpellier, who are now seventh with 49 points, have upped the ante away from home with just one loss in their past eight trips.
They head to strugglers Toulouse on Sunday, while Monaco go head-to-head with 12th-placed Stade Malherbe Caen Calvados.
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