Match Preview: Monaco vs Aston Villa (Champions League)

Match Fixture: Monaco vs Aston Villa

Date: Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Kick-Off: 17:45 CET

Venue: Stade Louis II, Monaco, France

Manager: Adi Hütter

Recent Form: Monaco has struggled for consistency, with four defeats and three draws in their last eight games. A penalty shootout loss to Stade Reims in the Coupe de France underlined their struggles.

Champions League Form: Despite collecting 10 points from six games, back-to-back losses to Benfica (2-3) and Arsenal (0-3) have left them under pressure to deliver.

Injuries:

• Aleksandr Golovin: Doubtful (ankle).
• Wilfried Singo: Expected return late January (back).
• Folarin Balogun: Out until mid-February (shoulder).
• Denis Zakaria: Doubtful (illness).
• Christian Mawissa: Doubtful (hamstring).
• George Ilenikhena: Unknown return date (adductor issue)
  

Manager: Unai Emery

Recent Form: Villa enters this match in excellent form, winning three consecutive games, including a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Everton in the Premier League, prior to their 2-2 draw with Arsenal

Champions League Form: A strong campaign with 13 points from six matches, capped by a dramatic 3-2 win over Leipzig on Matchday 6.

Injuries:

• Ross Barkley: Early February return (calf).
• John McGinn: Early February return (hamstring).
• Pau Torres: Late January return (foot).
• Diego Carlos: Doubtful (foot).
  

• Goalkeeper: Philipp Köhn
• Defenders: Vanderson, Kassoum Ouattara, Mohammed Salisu, Caio Henrique
• Midfielders: Soungoutou Magassa, Lamine Camara, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Takumi Minamino
• Forwards: Breel Embolo, Lucas Michal
  

• Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez
• Defenders: Lucas Digne, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash
• Midfielders: Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans 
• Forwards: Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, Jacob Ramsey
  

Style: Monaco thrives on wing play and rapid transitions. Creativity flows through Takumi Minamino, while Breel Embolo’s physical presence makes him a key target.

Key Players:

• Takumi Minamino: Technical brilliance and goal-scoring threat.
• Breel Embolo: Combines strength and direct play to unsettle defences.

Weaknesses: Vulnerability in defensive transitions and inconsistent performances in midfield.

Style: Emery’s disciplined setup relies on high pressing and exploiting wide spaces. Ollie Watkins leads the attack for Aston Villa with energy and precision, supported by Youri Tielemans vision in midfield.

Key Players:

• Ollie Watkins: Villa’s primary attacking weapon and top scorer.
• Amadou Onana: A dynamic midfielder anchoring the team’s transition play.

Weaknesses: Prone to counter-attacks and set-piece vulnerabilities.

Win Probability: Monaco: 56.7%

Predicted Scoreline: AS Monaco 1-2 Aston Villa

Expected Highlights:

• Villa’s pressing disrupting Monaco’s midfield rhythm.
• Key contributions from Ollie Watkins and Takumi Minamino.
• Monaco capitalising on set-piece opportunities against Villa’s shaky defence.
  

Suggested Bet: Aston Villa Double Chance & Both Teams to Score.

Odds Highlights:

• Aston Villa to Win: 3.60
• Both Teams to Score: Yes (1.75).

With both teams battling injuries and contrasting recent form, this match-up promises a mix of tactical intrigue and individual brilliance. Monaco’s home advantage could play a role, but Aston Villa’s momentum and pressing game may prove decisive in a tightly contested encounter.

Expect an exciting evening of European football as both sides push to cement their positions in the knockout stages!

This is the first competitive meeting between AS Monaco and Aston Villa. While Monaco boasts a storied Champions League history, Villa is enjoying its debut campaign in the tournament in the competition's current guise, with the Villans led by the highly experienced European boss Unai Emery. 

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.