Leonardo Jardim has insisted that Monaco's Coupe de France quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain is not a de-facto final.
Jardim's men visit the Parc des Princes on Wednesday having held them to a goalless draw in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
That result saw a profligate PSG miss the chance to go top of the table as they failed to capitalise on league leaders Lyon's 2-1 loss at Lille a day earlier.
The tie in the French capital pits the two favourites to win the competition, which has just four Ligue 1 teams remaining, against each other.
However, Jardim does not believe the game will necessarily be decisive in determining the destination of the French football's oldest trophy.
"This match against Paris is not an early final," Jardim said. "There are always surprises in the Coupe de France."
Asked about the strain of playing three games in a week, Jardim - whose side beat Arsenal 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League last week - added: "We must adapt to this situation to manage the workforce reduced by injuries and suspensions."
Ricardo Carvalho (calf), Andrea Raggi (knee) and Tiemoue Bakayoko (thigh) are all on the sidelines for Monaco along with suspended defenders Wallace and Aymen Abdennour.
Laurent Blanc's PSG also head into the game without a host of key players.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic serves the second game of a two-match suspension, while Lucas Moura (adductor), Serge Aurier (thigh) and midfielders Yohan Cabaye (groin) and Thiago Motta (calf) are all unavailable through injury.
With Ibrahimovic on the sidelines, PSG spurned a number of gilt-edged opportunities to take all three points at the Stade Louis II on the weekend.
However, midfielder Blaise Matuidi is confident that will not be the case in front of their own fans in Paris.
"We lacked the finishing touch, we didn't put the ball away and we're disappointed, but we have to stay positive," Matuidi said.
"We carved out a lot of good opportunities to score, and conceded very few, which means we were well organised.
"Wednesday's match will be different, we will have the supporters behind us, but we need to work on our recovery now. The better team physically, we almost certainly win the quarter-final."
But with PSG - who have not beaten the Principality club since 2008 - still struggling to hit top form and Ibrahimovic reduced to the role of spectator, Monaco will feel they have a chance to make Matuidi eat his words.