On Wednesday night, Arsenal will play Monaco in the Champions League.
HBAgency
The HBAgency Gunners hold a commanding lead in the league phase table.
Monaco is in the top eight and tied with their next opponents in terms of points.
Wednesday night marks just the third occasion in Champions League history that Arsenal and Monaco will square off in the Arsene Wenger derby.
Wenger’s Gunners lost the first leg of their round of 16 tie 3-1 at home in 2015, and they were defeated by an underdog Monaco team in their first competitive matchup. That loss extended Arsenal’s lack of success in the competition’s knockout stages, and it wasn’t until last year that the Gunners overcame their setback and advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.
Although Wednesday’s match may not be as important as their other encounters, a win would provide both sides a substantial boost to advance to the round of 16. After five games, the two teams are tied for seventh place in the league phase standings, with Monaco in eighth place.
Monaco defeated Toulouse to get back to winning ways in Ligue 1, while Arsenal’s momentum stalled on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Fulham. Before Wednesday’s match, both teams are ranked third in their respective domestic leagues.
A 90-minute sneak peek at Arsenal vs. Monaco in the Champions League is provided here.
When does Monaco vs. Arsenal start?
Location: England’s London
Emirates Stadium is the stadium.
Date: Wednesday, December 11
Start Time: 12:00 PT, 15:00 ET, or 20:00 GMT
Davide Massa (ITA) officiated.
Daniele Chiffi (ITA) is the VAR.
Monaco versus Arsenal H2H Outcomes for Every Game
Arsenal: One victory
Monaco: One victory
Draws: zero
Last meeting: Champions League, March 17, 2015, Monaco 0–2 Arsenal
Oleksandr Zinchenko, who began Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United last week, was sidelined against Fulham on Sunday, adding to the team’s defensive injury problems.
Although supporters will be fervently hoping that Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori rejoin the team as soon as possible, the speedy turnaround may cause the two to miss out on Wednesday once more.
Jurrien Timber is used as left-back against Fulham, while Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still out for the home team.
Further up the pitch, some rotation is inevitable. Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Mikel Merino are all vying to start.
Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Timber; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli are the starting lineup for Arsenal against. Monaco (4-3-3).
Due to numerous suspensions, Monaco’s backline is probably going to include former Premier League defenders Mohammed Salisu and Thilo Kehrer. The French team’s downfall was sparked by Wilfried Singo’s dismissal against Benfica on Matchday 5, and Christian Mawissa will not play on Wednesday because of his accumulation of yellow cards.
A number of attacking players are missing, including Folarin Balogun, who departed Arsenal in 2023. Due to a shoulder issue, the former Gunner will not be making his midweek return to the Emirates.
Edan Diop and Krepin Diatta are also on the sidelines.
Prediction of the Arsenal vs. Monaco score
Two summers ago, Mikel Arteta saw Adi Hutter’s Monaco in their infancy as the French team forced their hosts to penalties in the Emirates Cup after a 1-1 draw.
Hutter’s dynamic beliefs and the boldness of youth have given this remarkable Monaco team more confidence. They are equipped to exploit a vulnerable Gunners defense, and they have the athletes to play Arsenal on Wednesday.
Although the visitors will start the game strong and stay competitive the entire time, their own defensive lapses may be the deciding factor in the outcome.
Forecast: Monaco 2-1 Arsenal
