Monaco head into their UEFA Champions League knockout play-off against Benfica looking to recover from a heavy 4-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Friday. That result marked their fifth loss in nine matches across all competitions (W3, D1), further highlighting a difficult period for Adi Hütter’s side. Their most recent Champions League outing was also a disappointment, as a 3-0 loss to Inter Milan on matchday eight not only ended their hopes of finishing in the top eight but also left them as the highest-ranked unseeded team in the play-offs.
Standing in their way are Benfica, who only finished ahead of Monaco on goal difference. The Portuguese side will take confidence from their earlier meeting in the league phase, where they came from behind twice to secure a 3-2 victory. That result continued Monaco’s poor record against Portuguese clubs in the Champions League, with just one win from eight previous encounters (W1, D1, L6).
Benfica secured their seeded status with an impressive 2-0 victory away to Juventus on matchday eight and have maintained their strong form with consecutive league wins, despite conceding twice in each. Bruno Lage’s side have been formidable on the road in Europe, winning four of their last five Champions League away matches (L1), scoring at least twice in each victory.
The two-time European champions also have an excellent record against French opposition, having lost just three of their 13 meetings in the competition. They now have an opportunity to achieve a third consecutive away win in the main draw of the Champions League for the first time since the tournament’s rebranding. Furthermore, they have been quick starters in recent matches, with the deadlock broken inside 20 minutes in each of their last seven games across all competitions.
Key Players to Watch
Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa scored his only senior career goal against Benfica in their previous encounter and provided an assist in the recent defeat to PSG. Meanwhile, Benfica’s experienced centre-back Nicolás Otamendi has found the net in back-to-back games, with his team remaining unbeaten in the last six matches he has scored in (W5, D1).
Stat to Note
Benfica’s opponents have received the first yellow card in nine of their last ten matches, a trend that could continue in what promises to be a high-intensity encounter.
