Unlike Dmitri Rybolovlev, billionaire owner of AS Monaco, absent, his counterpart from OGC Nice, the English billionaire Jim Radcliffe, was well at the stadium.

But once again, the boss of Ineos, did not see his Aiglons win.

Worse, this defeat relegates the men of Christophe Galtier (55 points) one unit behind Monaco (56 points).

The Aiglons will have to react against Troyes on Sunday if they want to keep a chance of hanging on to Europe through the championship.

While waiting for their Coupe de France final against Nantes, on May 7 at the Stade de France.

Nice coach Christophe Galtier, during the 1-0 defeat against Monaco, during the 33rd day of Ligue 1, April 20, 2022 at the Stade Louis II Valery HACHE AFP

On the Monegasque side, the dynamic is the opposite.

After an execrable winter, Philippe Clement is allowing his players to return to the race for the podium.

Saturday, they will move to Saint-Etienne to aim for a sixth consecutive success in L1.

The first period offered a good battle, virile but correct, where Monaco emerged victorious at the end of the half.

Galtier, aware of the new athletic dimension of his opponent for a month and his two additional days of recovery, had decided to breathe new blood into the team that won against Lorient (2-1) Sunday .

Thus Melvin Bard, Mario Lemina, Hicham Boudaoui, Billal Brahimi and Kasper Dolberg were lined up from the start.

And Brahimi lit the first wicks.

Following his tumble, Andy Delort served Jordan Lotomba, countered by Benoît Badiashile (7th).

Nice Swiss defender Jordan Lotomba, under pressure from Monegasque defender Benoît Badiashile Mukinayi, during the 33rd day of Ligue 1, April 20, 2022 at the Stade Louis II Valery HACHE AFP

-Golovin just in time-

If Lemina also had the opportunity to score from a corner, without managing to frame his header (23rd), the Monegasque circles gradually imposed his power.

A first strike from Aurélien Tchouameni was deflected (17th), a second, stopped by Benitez (25th), just like that of Wissam Ben Yedder, ideally served by Aleksandr Golovin (38th).

But inexorably, the Principality's players took control of the game.

And on a cross from the excellent Vanderson, Benitez diverted in the feet of Golovin, quicker than the central defense of Nice and who scored his 3rd goal of the L1 season (1-0, 45th + 2).

The joy of the Monegasques, after the opening of the scoring by Russian midfielder Aleksandr Golovin (2nd g), against Nice, during the 33rd day of Ligue 1, April 20, 2022 at the Stade Louis II Valery HACHE AFP

After the break, Nice finally showed more response.

Dominators, Delort's teammates, author of an interesting strike (47th) and a dangerous header (65th), pushed hard.

However, it was the Monegasque attack that was the most powerful on the counter.

Rarely, Ben Yedder missed his target twice.

His dive, against, ended on the left post of Benitez (72nd), his wound, in the gloves of the Nice goalkeeper (75th).

But these failures were of no consequence.

And Monaco continues its rise to the top.

© 2022 AFP