Match Preview for Monaco v Manchester Metropolis
Pep Guardiola could have the prospect to avenge a Champions League humbling when Manchester Metropolis proceed their league part marketing campaign with an away sport with Monaco on Wednesday.
Metropolis started the league part with an impressive 2-0 win over Napoli, and now head to the Stade Louis II, a venue the place they skilled a humbling Champions League exit by the hands of Monaco within the final 16 in 2017.
The groups have clearly modified considerably since that tie eight years in the past, and Metropolis are the heavy favourites to keep up their momentum with one other victory.
Metropolis put 5 previous Burnley within the Premier League final Saturday, whereas Monaco have been surprised 3-1 by Lorient in Ligue 1.
The Principality membership have been overwhelmed 4-1 at Membership Brugge of their league part opener, however Guardiola is just not taking them evenly.
“What can I say? All the time for a very long time I’ve admiration for Monaco gamers,” Guardiola mentioned.
“I keep in mind a UEFA Tremendous Cup closing with Barcelona [against Monaco]. All the time they’ve a very good group, they hyperlink with the channels, they’re actually aggressive within the sport.
“Hopefully we will learn good what we now have to do and attempt to take an essential victory.”
Requested if he was involved concerning the go to of Metropolis within the wake of the shock defeat at Lorient, Monaco boss Adi Hutter mentioned: “We have to analyse this match as shortly as doable in order that we will be one hundred pc targeted on Manchester Metropolis.
“They’re probably the greatest groups on the planet, we’ll must do our greatest, and possibly we’ll have an opportunity to return away with one thing, however we all know who we’re going through.
“They’ll be the favorites, however we’ll put together the group as greatest we will.”
Workforce Information for Monaco v Manchester Metropolis
Monaco’s midfield is severely depleted for the go to of Metropolis.
Lamine Camara, Denis Zakaria, Aleksandr Golovin, and Aladji Bamba have all been dominated out, with Paul Pogba not match sufficient to function.
Lukas Hradecky and Christian Mawissa are additionally unavailable, and teenage ahead Paris Brunner is ineligible to play within the Champions League.
There may be excellent news for Monaco, with France worldwide Maghnes Akliouche in line to return from an sickness.
Metropolis midfielder Rodri is match and obtainable to play. He educated on Tuesday after sitting out the win over Burnley. Rayan Cherki (thigh) additionally educated however is just not anticipated to play.
“Yeah, he feels a lot better than the sport earlier than in opposition to Burnley,” Guardiola mentioned of Rodri.
“Daily see how greatest he feels. The day earlier than Burnley he didn’t really feel too good.
“Right now he feels a lot better so we are going to see.
Predicted line-ups for Monaco v Manchester Metropolis
Monaco: Kohn; Vanderson, Dier, Kehrer, Henrique; Akliouche, Coulibaly, Teze, Fati; Balogun, Biereth
Manchester Metropolis: Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez; Bobb, Silva, Reijnders, Doku; Haaland
Learn how to watch Monaco v Manchester Metropolis: TV and on-line stream
Monaco v Manchester Metropolis shall be broadcast on TNT Sports activities 2. It can even be obtainable on Discovery Plus and, for Sky clients with a TNT package deal, on Sky Go.
The sport kicks off at 8:00pm BST.
Stats for Monaco v Manchester Metropolis
- Monaco are considered one of solely two sides, together with Actual Madrid in 2024-25 (play-off spherical), to remove a Guardiola group from the Champions League earlier than the quarter-final stage.
- After that defeat in March, 2017, Guardiola might lose his first two away video games in opposition to an opponent for simply the third time in his managerial profession (additionally v Barcelona in October 2016 and Liverpool in January 2018).
- Monaco have solely misplaced considered one of their seven residence matches in opposition to English sides within the Champions League (W5 D1), their sole defeat coming in opposition to Arsenal in March 2015 (0-2). They’ve received all three which have taken place within the group/league part: 1-0 v Liverpool in 2004-05, 2-1 v Tottenham in 2016-17 and 1-0 v Aston Villa in 2024-25.
- Guardiola has solely misplaced two of his 33 matches going down within the opening two rounds of a Champions League marketing campaign (MD1 and MD2), profitable 26 of these (D5). Nonetheless, these two defeats got here in opposition to French sides, dropping in opposition to Lyon in 2018-19 and Paris Saint-Germain in 2021-22.
- Monaco have solely received considered one of their final seven matches within the Champions League (D1 L5). Three of their 5 defeats on this interval have been by not less than three objectives.
Prediction for Monaco v Manchester Metropolis
Whereas Monaco have struggled in current Champions League fixtures and suffered a shock defeat on the weekend, Metropolis appeared to be discovering their groove by the tip of their rout of Burnley.
This Monaco aspect is a far cry from the one which surprised Metropolis in 2017, and Guardiola and his group ought to have the ability to avenge that defeat this time round.
Prediction: Monaco 1-3 Manchester Metropolis
