Beaten 2-0 on the way out, inconsistent on the return: the Monegasque stars, Wissam Ben Yedder, Gelson Martins, Kevin Volland and Jean Lucas, failed.

And they brought with them a team unable to show any additional involvement and investment to believe, even for a moment, in a possible qualification after losing last week.

Axel Disasi's equalizer (1-1, 90th) was just an anecdote.

Because Braga, which nevertheless remains on two draws and a defeat at home in the Portuguese championship, has quietly played with an often mediocre Monaco, which the Stade Louis-II has moreover shouted down and which Philippe Clement does not manage to grow.

The Principality's team, eliminated in the European Cup, the French Cup and nine points from the podium in L1, has been in full decline for a little over a month.

And on Sunday, Paris SG arrives at Louis-II...

After a quarter of an hour, Monaco was already far from presenting the profile of a team capable of scoring two goals.

Braga had even created the best chances, in particular by Ricardo Horta, who took advantage of a loss of the ball from Aurélien Tchouameni in his area to strike, just wide (3rd).

-Triple change for nothing-

After 20 minutes, the hopes of the Principality team were already over.

True to their status as the team that hits the most in the competition, the Portuguese watered the goals of Alexander Nübel.

From afar, up close.

Head, feet.

Framed or not.

After André Castro's dry strike, repelled by Nübel in a handball goalkeeper style (19th), no Monegasque recovered the ball.

Quiet as in the first leg when he scored the first goal, Abel Ruiz controlled and rolled up.

The rebound in front of Nübel did the rest (0-1, 20th).

Abel Ruiz has just opened the scoring for Sporting Braga in Monaco, March 17, 2022 Valery HACHE AFP

From half an hour into the game, the opposition became a demonstration of collective defensive mastery, despite the chances of Volland (33rd) and Ben Yedder (35th), and counters from Carlos Carvalhal's men, supported by 500 faithful and singing supporters.

The reframing of the half having had no effect, except the failed attempt of Ben Yedder (50th), Clement decided on a triple change, with the entry of Golovin, Boadu and Maripan (51st) and the passage in 3-4-3 unbalanced.

Result: Braga quietly managed its end of the match and even offered itself the best opportunity of the second period, with the header next to Mineiro, left alone on the only Portuguese corner of the period (79th).

Monaco, which has become a sad team, is about to experience a very turbulent end to the season behind the scenes.

© 2022 AFP