Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
Benfica’s winning streak and their victory over AS Monaco (1:0) last week make them the logical favourites for the second leg. However, AS Monaco will push forward in search of an equaliser, which could open up counter-attacking opportunities for the hosts.
Benfica
Since the end of January, Benfica have won five consecutive matches, conceding just four goals in that period. Their win in Monaco was helped by Moatasem Al-Musrati’s red card, which forced the hosts to play more cautiously in attack (2.17 vs 0.39 in xG). However, Benfica’s squad remains depleted by injuries, with key absentees including Ángel Di María and Florentino Luís. Additionally, Antonio Silva, who had lost his starting place, has been forced back into the defensive lineup due to the lack of options.
AS Monaco
Back-to-back defeats to Paris Saint-Germain (1:4) and Benfica (0:1) have fired up Monaco, which was evident in their demolition of Nantes (7:1) last weekend. Aleksandr Golovin and Takumi Minamino played key roles, while new signing Mika Biereth scored his second hat-trick for the club. “Both teams to score” bet has scored in four of Monaco’s last five away games, highlighting their open approach on the road.
Benfica vs AS Monaco Prediction
While last week’s meeting was a low-scoring affair, their previous clash in November ended 3:2. With Monaco needing to attack and Benfica capable on the counter, we expect both teams to score.
