AS Monaco host Atletico Madrid in Group A, as the 2018/19 Champions League Group Stage is all set to begin and Football fans around the World can’t wait! Visitors Atletico Madrid and hosts AS Monaco are coincidentally in similar situations. Both teams aren’t considered to be favorites in their respective Leagues but we know that they can and in most situations punch above their weight. Ironically both teams have had a pretty bad start to their League campaigns, dropping points consistently. Atletico Madrid are at 9th place in the league after their 1-1 draw against Eibar while Monaco have registered only one win in their last five games and are languishing at 15th Place.
👋🇲🇨 Hello, @AS_Monaco_EN! T-minus one day for the #UCL 18/19! 😀
➡https://t.co/9Ckohpcdfu #AúpaAtleti #ASMAtleti pic.twitter.com/65xjWaTpiC— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) September 17, 2018
Team News
AS Monaco: Monaco Keeper, Danijiel Subasic has struggled for match fitness after a long and tiresome World Cup Campaign and is yet to Feature for the Principality. New Signing Alexandr Golovin has also struggled for fitness. Ronny Lopes has done his Hamstring in, Pietro Pellegri is suffering from a wound, and Andrea Raggi is ruled out with an illness.
Predicted XI: Benaglio, Sidibé, Glik, Jemerson, Henrichs, Bennasser, Chadli, Tielemans, Ahoulu, Grandsir, Falcao
Atletico Madrid: The Los Rojiblancos go into this game with Four players out. Lucas Hernandez is out with a suspected appendicitis problem, Vitolo is out with a knee injury, Croatian Striker Nikola Kalinic is ruled out with an ankle problem and New Signing Santiago Arias has a fractured rib. Former Monaco player, Thomas will be returning to the Stade Louis ll after moving to Atletico in the Summer for 65 Million Euros.
Atlético Madrid: Oblak, Juanfran, Godín, Giménez, Filipe Luis, Correa, Koke, Saúl, Lemar, Costa, Griezmann
Key Players
AS Monaco: Radamel Falcao
The Veteran Columbian Striker has already scored two and assisted one for Monaco. Falcao will be playing his former team and will be looking to come good against Atletico.
Atletico Madrid- Antoine Griezmann
Atletico’s main man hasn’t had the best start to this Season. Griezmann has kicked the Season off with one Goal and two Assists in four games, which is pretty average but way below his standard.
Prediction: AS Monaco 1-2 Atletico Madrid
[…] As we predicted here on Khelpanda in our preview report, Atletico Madrid sealed the game 2-1. Atletico’s sheer quality in the Final third proved too much for the Principality team and […]