Monaco out to extend stay at top of French league

Ligue 1 pace-setters Monaco will aim to build on Sunday's battling 1-1 draw at defending champions Paris Saint-Germain when they host Bastia on Wednesday. Monaco were second best at the Parc des Princes but came away with a point in the first meeting between France's two biggest spenders, to open up a two-point lead at the top of the table. Claudio Ranieri's side welcome 10th-place Bastia to the Stade Louis II as part of a full programme of midweek fixtures in France, leaving Monaco just three days to recover from Sunday's trip to the capital. "It's a very good point to pick up. It was a difficult match against an excellent Paris team," said Monaco midfielder Mounir Obbadi of the draw in the capital. "Now, we have to recover very quickly because we play again (on Wednesday) against Bastia, another very difficult match," added the Moroccan. Monaco are one of the league's two remaining unbeaten sides, along with PSG, and 60-million-euro ($81 million) striker Radamel Falcao has adapted well to life in Ligue 1, having netted five goals in six matches, including the equaliser on Sunday. "Both teams tried to win and had their chances. In the end it was a draw. The most important thing for us is that the result keeps us top of the standings," said Falcao. "We're making strides as a team. Personally, I'm especially happy to have scored because we stay first," added the Colombian. PSG, who climbed a spot to second after surpassing Saint-Etienne on goal difference, travel to lowly Valenciennes, who have lost five in a row following their lone victory on the opening weekend of the season. France midfielder Blaise Matuidi praised Monaco's display on Sunday but conceded the Parisians felt they should have won and vowed that PSG would bounce back at the Stade du Hainaut. "Monaco showed they have a good team, even if I thought we were better than them (on Sunday). We'll hope to return to winning ways with a victory at Valenciennes on Wednesday," said Matuidi. Despite netting a fifth-minute opener, Zlatan Ibrahimovic endured a difficult evening against Monaco, spurning several chances to add to his haul, and echoed Matuidi's sense of regret. "We're disappointed because we should have won the match. We played at home and we had a lot of chances. We scored but made an error for their equaliser and we paid for it," said the Swede, whose goal was just his second of the campaign. "This season there's more pressure on us. We're the champions and everyone wants to beat us." Ibrahimovic's partnership with club record signing Edinson Cavani again failed to sparkle, but the former stressed the need for patience. "My understanding with Cavani? It's coming, it's coming," said Ibrahimovic. PSG will be without captain Thiago Silva, who could be out for several weeks, after the Brazilian defender sustained a thigh injury at the weekend. Elsewhere, Nice, fresh off a 4-0 thumping of Valenciennes in the opening game at their new Allianz Riviera stadium, travel to Nantes, while Lyon are away to winless Ajaccio. Montpellier entertain Rennes on Thursday. Fixtures (kick-off 1700GMT unless stated) Wednesday Ajaccio v Lyon, Bordeaux v Reims, Guingamp v Sochaux, Nantes v Nice, Toulouse v Lorient, Valenciennes v Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco v Bastia (1900) Thursday Montpellier v Rennes (1900) Source: AFP