The first leg of the 2024/25 Champions League playoff between Monaco (France) and Benfica (Portugal) will take place on February 12 at the Louis II Stadium in Fontvieille. Monaco vs. Benfica: prediction, betting odds, statistics.
Monaco
It seems as if Monaco never had a long break from the Champions League: the team confidently began the main stage, remaining unbeaten in four matches (3 wins, 1 draw), but 3 losses in the remaining 4 games left Adi Hütter's squad in 17th place in the standings. Nevertheless, the club managed to stand out: Monaco was the only team with an equal number of goals scored and conceded – 13:13. Additionally, in their last two Champions League seasons, the team did not advance beyond the group stage.
Defender Christian Mavissa Elebi will miss the match due to suspension. Defender Wilfried Singo and forward Folarin Balogun are unavailable due to injuries.
- At least one opponent failed to score in 4 of Monaco's last 5 matches in the main European tournament.
- The club has not lost in 5 of their last 7 home games in the Champions League (4 wins, 1 draw).
- The number "1" appeared in the final score in 6 of Monaco's last 7 home matches in the Champions League.
Predicted lineup for Monaco (4-5-1)
Radoslaw Majecki – Vanderson, Thilo Kehrer, Mohammed Salisu, Caio Henrique – Denis Zakaria, Takumi Minamino, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Maghnes Akliouche, Aleksandr Golovin – Breel Embolo.
Benfica
Bruno Lage's team finished one spot higher than their upcoming opponent. The Portuguese side remained unbeaten in 5 of their 8 matches in the general stage (4 wins, 1 draw), including a victory over Monaco. Notably, Benfica collected 9 of their 13 points away from home, ranking fifth in the Champions League based on away results. In the previous tournament, the team finished third in their group.
Midfielders Renato Sanches, Manu Silva, defenders Alexander Bah, Arthur Cabral, and forward Tiago Gouveia will miss the match due to injuries.
- The Portuguese side scored at least two goals in 4 of their last 5 away matches in the Champions League.
- In 5 of their last 7 away matches in the Champions League, Benfica conceded no more than one goal.
- The team has not drawn in 7 consecutive away matches in this tournament (4 wins, 3 losses).
Predicted lineup for Benfica (4-3-3)
Anatoliy Trubin – Antonio Silva, Álvaro Carreras, Tomás Araújo, Nicolás Otamendi – Fredrik Aursnes, Florentino, Orkun Kökçü – Andreas Schjelderup, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Aktürkoğlu.
Monaco vs. Benfica: Match Prediction
The first encounter between these opponents in this Champions League thrilled spectators with its high-scoring nature. Monaco lost 2-3 at home to the Portuguese side, and the desire for revenge will serve as additional motivation for the hosts in the upcoming match. That defeat is Monaco's only home loss in their last five Champions League matches (3 wins, 1 draw). However, it's worth noting that during this stretch, the team managed to keep a clean sheet only once. Moreover, Monaco conceded in 16 of their last 17 home matches in this tournament.
Benfica is not shy about attacking even in away matches. Consequently, the Portuguese side scored in 5 of their last 6 away matches in the Champions League, but they kept a clean sheet only once during this period. With such defensive statistics, it will be challenging to contain the opponent's attack, which has scored in 9 of their last 11 Champions League matches.
My prediction: Both teams to score – yes
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