Monaco dropped points for the first time in this Ligue 1 season as Claudio Ranieri's side played out a goalless draw against Toulouse on Friday.
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Having beaten Bordeaux 2-0 and then thumped Montpellier 4-1 in their opening two matches, the principality club would have been confident of extending their perfect start against a limited Toulouse outfit.
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However, they could not find a way through the visitors' well-marshalled defence and will be left to wonder how the game might have turned out had they had they been able to enjoy the backing of their own supporters.
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In the event, the match was played behind closed doors as a punishment for incidents at the end of Monaco's last home game of last season, when fans set off flares and invaded the pitch.
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The principality club have been derided in the past for their poor attendances at the Stade Louis II, but on this occasion the total absence of supporters made for a surreal atmosphere, as the shouts of the players and the orders of the coaches echoed around the ground.
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Fresh from scoring four goals in the opening two matches, Emmanuel Riviere was lively up front for Monaco against his former club, firing wide from a tight angle in the 12th minute and then forcing a good save from Toulouse 'keeper Ali Ahamada soon after following a brilliant turn inside the box.
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Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Lucas Ocampos also had chances for the hosts in the first half, while the visitors came closest when Argentine summer signing Oscar Trejo fired inches wide.
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However, chances were fewer and further between in the second period, with James Rodriguez – a €45 million signing from Porto in the summer – unable to unlock the Toulouse rearguard.
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The closest Monaco came was from a long-range Jeremy Toulalan strike that shattered the bar and rebounded to safety in the 87th minute.
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Monaco move provisionally one point clear at the top of the table before the rest of the weekend's games.
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On Saturday, Marseille and Lyon will be bidding to maintain their perfect starts to the campaign against Valenciennes and Reims respectively, while Saint- Etienne travel to Lille on Sunday before champions Paris Saint-Germain – still without a win – face promoted Nantes.