Monaco handed heavy defeat as Champions League hopes fade

Arnaud Nordin (L) celebrates with teammates during Montpellier's 4-0 win in Monaco on Sunday / © AFP

Monaco's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League were dealt a new blow on Sunday in a comprehensive 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Montpellier in the principality.

Arnaud Nordin, a childhood friend of Kylian Mbappe from their time spent at France's Clairefontaine national youth academy, was the hero for Montpellier with two goals.

Faitout Maouassa and English former Arsenal winger Stephy Mavididi also scored for the away side as they effectively secured survival by moving 11 points clear of the bottom four with five games remaining.

This was a second successive heavy defeat for Monaco, after Philippe Clement's team went down 3-0 away at Lens last weekend.

They remain fourth in the table, five points behind third-placed Lens who do not play until Tuesday.

Only the top three in Ligue 1 qualify for the Champions League with the team in fourth going into the Europa League alongside the winners of the French Cup.

Toulouse won the French Cup on Saturday with a crushing 5-1 win over holders Nantes in the final watched by more than 78,000 at the Stade de France.

Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain, who are eight points clear at the top, host Lorient on Sunday.