Ghana defender Nathaniel Adjei is anticipating a difficult encounter for FC Lorient when they host French Ligue 1 leaders AS Monaco on Sunday.

The Orange and Black outfit will welcome the Principality club to the Stade du Moustoir, knowing that a strong performance will be crucial as they seek to maintain their momentum in the ongoing campaign.

Adjei is expected to be an important figure in the game for Lorient after making a timely return from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of Ghana’s recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The 24-year-old guardsman returned to action in Lorient’s 1-0 victory over FC Paris last week, marking an important step in his recovery and providing a timely boost to the club’s defensive options ahead of the Monaco clash.

In an interview with GHANASoccernet.com ahead of the fixture, Adjei said: “We know Monaco are a very good side, and this will be a difficult game for us. However, we have been working hard in training, and we believe we have what it takes to compete and get a positive result.”

He added that Lorient would need to remain organised and disciplined throughout the encounter to contain Monaco’s attacking threat.

“We have to stay focused, defend as a team and take our chances when they come. Games like this are decided by small details, so we must give everything from the first minute to the last,” he said.

Alexandre Dujeux’s men can, however, draw confidence from their recent record against the Principality club. Monaco have managed just one victory in their last five meetings, while Lorient won both encounters last season by an identical 3-1 scoreline.

“We know Monaco are sitting at the top of the table, and we will have to be at our best to get a positive result,” he said. “Our previous results give us confidence, but we must focus on delivering another strong performance.”