Folarin Balogun will lead Monaco as they travel to the Stadium de Toulouse on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. ET, hoping his eighth successive scoring appearance can push his club back into the European race.
Monaco sit seventh on 50 points from 30 matches and are only two points behind Marseille for a European berth and four adrift of Lille for a Champions League place, but they have taken just one point from their last two top-flight affairs after a seven-game winning run. Toulouse arrive 11th with 37 points from 30 matches — a record of 10 wins, seven draws and 13 losses — and are coming off a 3-2 Ligue 1 defeat at Lens last week and a 4-1 loss to Lens in the Coupe de France semifinals on April 21.
The numbers underline the stakes. Monaco have been reliable at Stade de Toulouse in recent seasons, earning at least a point in each of their last six visits and winning there 2-1 in December 2023, but their away form has wobbled: they were beaten 4-1 by Paris FC in their previous away league match on April 10. Toulouse, meanwhile, have lost four straight matches across all competitions and have conceded three or more goals in each of their four competitive outings in April.
Injuries and suspensions shape selection and strategy for both sides. Toulouse are likely to be without Abu Francis because of an ankle issue, and Frank Magri, Alex Dominguez and Rafik Messali are sidelined with knee problems; Yann Gboho is suspended after a red card against Lens. Monaco face their own absences: Mohammed Salisu, Takumi Minamino and Kassoum Ouattara are dealing with knee issues, Caio Henrique and Vanderson have thigh strains, Paris Brunner has a sore hamstring and Stanis Idumbo is questionable with a shoulder problem.
That list matters because it goes to the balance of the match. Monaco still rely on Balogun’s finishing — he scored the equalizer that salvaged a point in the 2-2 draw with Auxerre on April 19 — and Ansu Fati chipped in to cut a 2-0 deficit in that game. But Monaco’s damaged defensive resources and recent one-point return from two matches mean their attack may have to do more to lift them into the European spots with just four matchdays left.
Toulouse’s problems are more plainly defensive. The club conceded three or more goals in every competitive game this month and are trying to avoid consecutive home defeats at the Stadium de Toulouse for the first time this year. They can take some confidence from having won their final two Ligue 1 matches in March, and with five points to go to equal their 2024-25 total of 42 with four rounds remaining, Saturday presents a last real chance to build momentum and close the gap on midtable stability.
The tension is simple: Monaco travel with momentum in Balogun’s legs and history on their side in Toulouse, but with a decimated backline and a recent heavy away defeat, they look vulnerable. Toulouse have been porous but are playing at home and under pressure to stop the slide; their recent form suggests they can be scored on, but injuries and suspension will force coach selections that could blunt Monaco’s forward thrust.
For viewers in the United States the match is on beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS En Español, and both clubs know the immediate consequences. Monaco need points to keep pace in a tightly packed fight for Europe; Toulouse need points to stabilize an erratic season and avoid a damaging finish. How Monaco’s coaching staff reshuffles the defense and whether Balogun can keep scoring against a ragged Toulouse backline will likely decide which team presses forward and which one spends the final month of the season scrambling.
If Monaco can cobble together a back four that holds, Balogun’s run will be the decisive difference; if Toulouse tighten on their left flank and exploit Monaco’s injured wide defenders, the home side could finally stop the slide. Either way, Saturday’s result will tell which narrative — Monaco’s revival or Toulouse’s recovery — carries into the final stretch.
