Wout Faes made his debut with AS Monaco on Friday night, taking the pitch at the Louis-II Stadium against Lorient. The 27-year-old international defender was officially loaned from Leicester City just two days earlier, featuring an optional purchase clause estimated at eight million euros. Faes started the match due to a myriad of injuries and absences within the squad, pairing with Eric Dier in the central defense.
Head coach Sébastien Pocognoli opted to maintain his attacking duo of Folarin Balogun and Mika Biereth. Maghnes Akliouche, who was ill during the team’s recent 3-1 victory against Orléans in the Coupe de France, returned to the starting eleven.
The team faced a significant challenge with a long list of absentees. Vanderson and Ansu Fati, both returning from thigh injuries, began the match on the bench. Other notable absences included Paul Pogba (calf), Lukas Hradecky, Mohammed Salisu, Takumi Minamino (knee), Pape Cabral, and Christian Mawissa (hamstring). Additionally, Thilo Kehrer, Mamadou Coulibaly, and Stanis Idumbo were sidelined due to suspensions, while Lucas Michal was out sick. Furthermore, Krépin Diatta and Lamine Camara were set to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations final with Senegal on Sunday night against Morocco.
The starting lineup for AS Monaco included Köhn, Ouattara, Dier, Faes, Henrique, Zakaria (captain), Teze, Akliouche, Golovin, Biereth, and Balogun.
As the team navigates these challenges, the addition of Faes brings a fresh presence to the defense, and fans are hopeful that he will bolster AS Monaco’s performance in the remaining matches of the season.