Veteran Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov scored a brace as AS Monaco warmed up for a decisive UEFA Champions League date with a 2-0 win away at Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Friday.
Berbatov’s neat finish put the principality club ahead on the stroke of halftime and the former Manchester United man then converted a penalty in the second half as Monaco climbed provisionally up to seventh in the table.
Leonardo Jardim’s side have spent most of the season playing catch-up with their rivals at the top of Ligue 1, but the win was a timely boost ahead of Tuesday’s home Champions League clash with Zenit Saint Petersburg, in which a draw would be enough to take them through to the round-of-16.
Photo: AFP
Monaco have significant selection problems in defense that will continue to cause concern when the Russian side come calling, with Ricardo Carvalho, Layvin Kurzawa and Elderson Echiejile sidelined, as well as midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.
With young Brazilian Wallace suspended for the trip to southwest France, Aymen Abdennour was partnered in the heart of the defense against his former club by midfielder Jeremy Toulalan.
Nevertheless, the makeshift back four kept a clean sheet, while Berbatov made it three goals in his past two games after previously not finding the net since August.
After Bernardo Silva had an effort cleared off the line by Dragos Grigore, Berbatov opened the scoring right on halftime with a sweet finish across goalkeeper Ali Ahamada after neatly controlling Anthony Martial’s center.
Ahamada saved from Silva right at the start of the second period, but Monaco eventually doubled their lead with 13 minutes left, Berbatov coolly converting a penalty awarded for a foul on Fabinho.
Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who go to Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek, currently trail leaders Olympique de Marseille by a point, but could provisionally go top of the table with the right result when they hosted Nantes yesterday.
Marseille are looking for an eighth consecutive home win when they face Metz today.
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