Monaco vs Benfica: betting odds 12 Feb 2025

The first playoff match of the 2024/25 Champions League between Monaco (France) and Benfica (Portugal) will take place on February 12 at the Louis II Stadium in Fontvieille. Monaco vs. Benfica: prediction and betting odds, statistics.

Monaco

It seems as though Monaco never had a long break from the Champions League: the team confidently started the main stage, remaining unbeaten in four matches (3 wins, 1 draw), but three defeats in the remaining four games left Adi Hütter's side in 17th place in the standings. However, the club stood out by being the only side with an equal number of goals scored and conceded – 13:13. Notably, in their last two Champions League campaigns, Monaco failed to progress 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.
• At home, the club has not lost in 5 of their last 7 Champions League games (4 wins, 1 draw).
• The number "1" appeared in the final scoreline 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, Alexander Golovin – Breel Embolo.

Benfica

Bruno Lage's side finished one spot above their upcoming opponents. The Portuguese team remained unbeaten in 5 of 8 matches in the overall stage (4 wins, 1 draw), including a victory over Monaco. Notably, Benfica earned 9 of their 13 points on the road, 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 have scored at least two goals in 4 of their last 5 away matches in the Champions League.
• In 5 of their last 7 away games in the Champions League, Benfica has not conceded 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, Alvaro Carreras, Tomas Araujo, Nicolas Otamendi – Fredrik Aursnes, Florentino, Orkun Kökçü – Andreas Schjelderup, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Aktürkoğlu.

Referee

Maurizio Mariani (Italy)

Matches – 8 (International matches, 2024/25);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 35;

Average yellow cards per match – 4.4;

Red cards shown – 0;

Average fouls per match – 22;

Penalties – 50%.

Monaco vs. Benfica: Match Prediction

The first encounter between these opponents in this Champions League was a spectacle of goals. Monaco lost 2-3 at home to the Portuguese side, and the desire for revenge will serve as extra motivation for the hosts in the upcoming clash. 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 has kept a clean sheet only once. Moreover, Monaco has conceded in 16 of their last 17 home games in this tournament.

Benfica is not shy about attacking, even in away matches. As a result, the Portuguese have scored in 5 of their last 6 away games in the Champions League, but they have managed to keep a clean sheet only once during this period. With such defensive stats, it will be challenging to contain an opponent's attack that has scored in 9 of their last 11 Champions League matches.

My prediction: Both teams to score – yes