Monaco Beat PSG After Balogun and Camara Stay Put

Monaco came from behind to beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 at the Parc des Princes, preserving their perfect start to the Ligue 1 season. Nazinho and Stanis Idumbo scored Monaco’s goals on Friday, according to reporting by Get French Football News published by The Guardian. Monaco are the only club to have won their opening three league matches.

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The victory followed a transfer deadline on which two planned departures failed to happen. Folarin Balogun chose to remain with Monaco rather than join Everton despite an agreement between the clubs. Balogun was Monaco’s leading scorer last season, and the club had prepared for his exit by signing Matthis Abline from Nantes at the beginning of the transfer window.

Monaco also agreed a deal to sell midfielder Lamine Camara to Chelsea before withdrawing from it. The Guardian report said Monaco had accepted the offer after committing to reduce their wage bill and generate significant player-sale revenue in discussions with French football’s financial regulator, the DNCG. By the time an agreement was reached, however, France’s transfer window had closed and planned replacement Érik Lira was no longer an option.

Chief executive Thiago Scuro held a press conference the following day to address the failed moves and said Monaco would have to find other solutions. Coach Filipe Luís described the resulting squad as imbalanced, with several centre-forwards, insufficient midfield cover and no recognized right winger following Maghnes Akliouche’s transfer to PSG.

Camara remained central to Monaco’s success on the field. The 22-year-old Senegal international produced a strong second-half performance in the comeback against PSG and has been one of the team’s leading players in the opening weeks. Luís said he expects major clubs to pursue Camara if the midfielder maintains his level, while Scuro indicated that future offers could improve on those already received.

Balogun has missed Monaco’s first matches but is expected to return soon. Even without last season’s top scorer, the club has won its first five fixtures in all competitions and scored 12 goals. Those results have given Luís a perfect start since replacing Sébastien Pocognoli in the summer, while the unresolved financial commitments leave Monaco needing to determine how they will balance their squad and accounts after the window closed.