13.08.2015 17:45 h

Silva predicts bright season for Monaco

Monaco will look to kick on from their opening-day win at Nice when they host Lille in their first home game of the Ligue 1 season on Friday.

The game has been brought forward to help Monaco prepare for their Champions League play-off first leg away to Valencia in Spain next Wednesday as the principality side bid to return to the group stage for the second season running.

Leonardo Jardim's men recovered from a 1-0 half-time deficit to win 2-1 at the Allianz Riviera last weekend thanks to goals from Bernardo Silva and Layvin Kurzawa, and will be in confident mood against a Lille side who lost at home to champions Paris Saint-Germain in their opener.

Monaco finished third last season and Silva, the young starlet who initially joined on loan from Benfica last summer before making the move permanent in January, believes they are "capable of a better season than last year".

The Portugal international midfielder, who cost 15.75 million euros (£11.25m; $17.6m), scored nine goals in 32 league games last term but he now sees an opportunity to kick on after extending his contract by a year to 2020.

"When I arrived last season, I did not know how it would happen. Now I think I have a certain status at the club. It happened very quickly for me," said Silva.

"I am happy but I want to continue to progress and grow.

"I'm glad I helped the team against Nice," added Silva, who will hope to start after coming off the bench in the first half last weekend to spark their recovery.

Lille -- now under the guidance of former Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard -- put in a spirited display in defeat at home to PSG.

The northern club travel to the Mediterranean looking for their first win at the Stade Louis II since 2009 when they triumphed 4-0.

But Lille will be encouraged by Monaco's inconsistent home form last season which yielded just eight wins from their 19 home matches, although they lost just twice.

Monaco's latest new signing, Brazil under-20 midfielder Gabriel Boschilia, will not play against Lille after his seven million-euro ($7.8m, £5m) arrival from Sao Paulo on Monday.

"He needs time to understand the game, the philosophy of work," said Monaco coach Jardim.

Lille, who finished a disappointing eighth last season, have problems in defence with Marko Basa, Ibrahim Amadou and Stoppila Sunzu all missing.