Monaco will be eager to capitalize on their home advantage as they welcome Benfica to Stade Louis-II for a crucial Champions League knockout round play-off clash on Wednesday night. Both teams finished the League Phase tied on 13 points, with Benfica edging into 16th place while Monaco followed in 17th. The stakes couldn’t be higher, as the winner of this tie will advance to face either Liverpool or Barcelona in the round of 16.
History favors Benfica in this fixture, with As Águias unbeaten in their previous three European encounters with Monaco. They have secured two wins and one draw, while Les Rouge et Blanc have struggled to break down the Portuguese giants, failing to score in two of those meetings. However, Monaco did manage to put two goals past Benfica when they met earlier this season, though they ultimately fell short in a 3-2 defeat.
With both sides evenly matched on paper, this promises to be a tense and thrilling battle for a place in the last 16.
Let's get ready to rumble!
Monaco head into this crucial Champions League play-off on the back of a disappointing 4-1 defeat to PSG on Friday, marking their fifth loss in nine matches across all competitions. Their inconsistency has been a concern, particularly in Europe, where a heavy 3-0 loss to Inter Milan on matchday eight denied them a top-eight finish in the League Phase.
Despite these struggles, Adi Hütter’s side will take comfort in their strong home record. Monaco have won their last three matches at Stade Louis-II and have also triumphed in three of their four Champions League home games this season, including a hard-fought 1-0 win over Aston Villa in January.
Squad depth will be a key issue for Hütter, with several first-team players unavailable. The absence of influential midfielder Lamine Camara is a major blow, meaning Soungoutou Magassa may step in against the same Benfica side he scored his first professional goal against in November. In defense, Christian Mawissa is suspended after seeing red against Inter, while Jordan Teze and Wilfried Singo remain doubtful, leaving Monaco short at the back.
Up front, George Ilenikhena and Folarin Balogun are still struggling with injuries, which could see January signing Mika Biereth make his Champions League debut. The young striker has made an immediate impact since arriving, highlighted by a hat trick against Auxerre. If he can carry that form into this match, he could be a crucial factor in Monaco’s hopes of securing progression.
MONACO predicted lineup vs BENFICA: Majecki (GK); Vanderson, Kehrer, Salisu, Caio Henrique; Zakaria, Magassa; Akliouche, Golovin, Ben Seghir; Biereth.
Benfica enter this Champions League play-off clash in solid form, having secured their spot with a crucial 2-0 win over Juventus on matchday eight. Since then, they’ve continued their momentum with back-to-back domestic victories, including a hard-fought 3-2 win over Moreirense last weekend.
The Portuguese giants have been impressive on the road in the competition, winning four of their last five away matches. History is also on their side, as they remain unbeaten in seven of their last 10 meetings against French clubs.
Bruno Lage does have some injury concerns heading into this game. Full-backs Alexander Bah and Manu Silva were both forced off in the first half of their latest win and are doubtful for this fixture. Meanwhile, Angel Di Maria and Arthur Cabral missed the Moreirense game with minor knocks but are expected to be available for selection. Cabral, however, will have to compete with in-form striker Vangelis Pavlidis for a place in the starting lineup.
Defensively, Benfica have shown some vulnerabilities, conceding 12 goals in their last five games. However, veteran center-back Nicolas Otamendi has been doing his part at the other end of the pitch, scoring in back-to-back matches. His experience and leadership will be key as Benfica look to take an advantage back to Lisbon.
BENFICA predicted lineup vs MONACO: Trubin (GK); Tomas Araujo, Antonio Silva, Otamendi, Fernandez; Florentino Luis, Aursnes, Kokcu; Di Maria, Pavlidis, Schjelderup.
Benfica have dominated their recent encounters with Monaco, winning three of their last four meetings, including a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Stade Louis-II in November 2024. The Portuguese side will take confidence from their strong record against Les Rouge et Blanc, who are still searching for their first-ever Champions League win against Benfica after four attempts.
With Benfica’s impressive away form in the competition and Monaco’s inconsistency, the visitors will fancy their chances of securing a positive result in this crucial knockout round play-off clash.
Prediction: Draw.
