21 January 2025. 7.45pm. Monaco. Stade Louis II.
Champions League. Group stage. Day 7
Monaco (France) vs. Aston Villa (Birmingham, England)
Injures : Balogun, Ilenikhena, Diatta, Singo (?), Zakaria (?) – Barkley, Torres, Onana (?)
The Champions League returns after the festive break to conclude the group stage of the competition. Monaco will host Aston Villa at the Stade Louis II on Matchday 7. The Monegasques are close to securing their place in the knockout stage and could even challenge for a place in the top 8. The visitors are currently among the teams who will qualify automatically for the round of 16, with three points ahead of the princely club.
Monaco
Monaco’s powerful start this season has inspired its fans. Under Gouter’s leadership, they began their campaign with a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions, winning two of their first three matches in Europe. This included a notable victory against Barcelona, who they beat 2:1, taking advantage of an early red card for the Catalans. However, after suffering a defeat against Nice at the end of October which interrupted this brilliant start, Monaco’s season became increasingly complicated. With just five wins in the last 16 games, Monaco have slipped out of the top 3 in the League, meaning they will miss out on automatic qualification for the Champions League group stage.
The start of 2025 has been particularly disappointing for Gouter’s team on all fronts. It started with a narrow defeat against PSG in the French Super Cup, with the decisive goal conceded in added time. Another disappointment awaited Monaco in the Coupe de France, where in the 32nd final Gouter’s team lost to Reims. Salisu equalized in normal time, but Monaco converted only one of their four tries from the penalty spot. In the League, they managed to get just one point after facing two teams at the bottom of the table. In the match against Nantes, they managed to come back from a 0:2 deficit with goals from Embolo and Salisu. However, in a match against Ligue 1 bottom side Montpellier, the Monegasques unexpectedly lost. A first-half goal from Kerrer seemed to herald an easy victory, but after the break Gouter’s team conceded two goals.
Monaco’s European campaign follows a similar trajectory to that of their domestic journey. Ten points from their first four games almost guaranteed them a place in the Champions League knockout stage. In addition to the victory against Barcelona, they beat Red Star and Bologna, and managed to draw 2:2 with Dinamo Zagreb after being 0:2 down. However, over the last two days, the Monegasques have lost. Firstly, at home against Benfica, where the match was in Monaco’s favor until Singo’s red card midway through the second half disrupted their plans, culminating in a 2:3 defeat after conceding two goals in the last ten minutes. A trip to Arsenal also ended in disappointment, with a 0:3 defeat, again with two late goals conceded. Now it is crucial for Monaco to earn at least a point from the remaining matches to secure a place in the top 24, but their opponents Aston Villa and Inter pose a tough challenge. However, in favorable circumstances, Monaco can still aim for a place in the top 8. Regardless, the minimum objective for the Monegasques is to perform well this Tuesday at the Stade Louis II, as they have been strong at home , having lost only three times this season in all competitions. However, all three of those defeats against Angers, Benfica, and PSG have come in recent months, which will be concerning for the hosts.
-Aston Villa
Aston Villa surprised many by finishing fourth in the Premier League last season, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history. However, when their previous European Cup adventures are taken into account, they have a storied history, having won the trophy in 1982. Now, as the midway point of the Premier League campaign approaches, the visitors are battling again for a place in the top four, currently occupying eighth position but only two points behind fourth place.
Emery’s men silenced doubters in Europe’s most prestigious competition, losing just one game in six in the Champions League. This defeat came during a trip to Bruges, when Mings unintentionally touched the ball in his own area, resulting in a penalty. But in most matches, the Birmingham team impressed positively. Their European campaign began with three straight wins without conceding a goal – 3:0 against Young Boys, 1:0 against Bayern Munich, and 2:0 against Bologna. After picking up a point from meetings with Brugge and Juventus, Villa returned with an away win against Leipzig. It wasn’t a typical game for Aston Villa in the Champions League, as they conceded two goals, more than in their previous five games. However, three goals in response allowed them to win and climb into the top 8. If Emery’s men perform well in their matches against Monaco and Celtic, there is a chance to remain among the leaders and qualify automatically for the round of 16. Alongside a reliable defense, the stability of their attack, led by John Duran, stands out, having contributed to the Birmingham club’s last three Champions League victories.
Unlike their opponents, the visitors have started the new year well, winning seven points from three matches. Looking at a longer period, Emery’s side have won seven of their last 11 matches in all competitions. On the road, the Villans have managed two wins from three attempts, but their overall away results this season have been disappointing, with the Birmingham side having lost six of their last nine away games in all competitions. However, recent releases provide a glimmer of optimism. Emery’s side managed to come back from two goals down against Arsenal last weekend, and earlier in the week they secured a narrow victory against Everton.
Monaco vs Aston Villa: Expected Lineups
Balogun, Ilenikhena, Diatta are absent for Monaco, with the participation of Singo and Zakaria also uncertain. McGinn has returned to training with Aston Villa, but is unlikely to play in this match. Barkley and Torres will be out due to injuries, while Carlos is suspended. Onana’s availability is also uncertain, as he picked up an injury in the previous game.
Monaco vs Aston Villa: Author’s prediction
There is a feeling that Monaco have lost their rhythm and are struggling considerably. I expect the visitors to take advantage of this situation and secure all three points, bringing them closer to a place in the top 8 in the group stage.
