Valenciennes are down to the bare bones as they head to Monaco looking for the win that will secure their Ligue 1 status.

VA were without a host of players, including strike duo Jean-Claude Darcheville (knee) and Gregory Pujol (calf), when they lost 2-1 to Bordeaux in midweek.

None of those injured players will return for the trip to the principality while coach Antoine Kombouare is also without Luigi Pieroni and Siaka Tiene, suspended as a result of the red cards they received in the bad-tempered match against Les Girondins.

Kombouare has confirmed he has a squad of 15, two of which are goalkeepers, for this weekend.

"We have to recharge our batteries and prepare for this difficult trip to Monaco, with the challenge of winning at least once on the road this season," Kombouare said.

VA will still be bitter after the Bordeaux defeat, the recriminations of which are still reverberating around the Stade Nungesser.

The northerners felt they were on the receiving end of some poor decisions and officiating by referee Tony Chapron, and they made their frustrations clear at the final whistle.

"Let's go to Monaco and win - that would be the best response," added Kombouare, whose side need one more victory to be mathematically certain of staying up.

Monaco were thumped 3-0 by struggling Sochaux on Wednesday, leaving them 11th in the table and looking this weekend to avoid a third straight reverse.

Coach Ricardo still has a mountain of injuries, with Alejandro Alonso (knee), Alexandre Licata (ankle), Yohan Mollo (thigh), Vincent Muratori (thigh), Juan Pablo Pino (adductors), Djamel Bakar (buttocks), Dario Simic (back) and Kevin Diaz all sidelined.

Yohan Mollo (thigh) has also been ruled out for the last two games of the season.