AS Monaco will host Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League, hoping to build on their win from the first leg.
AS Monaco picked up a 3-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg courtesy of an injury-time winner from Axel Disasi. And the Ligue 1 outfit will fancy their chances of picking up another win at home.
Meanwhile, the German outfit have now failed to win four of their last five meetings against Monaco and they will struggle to get a positive result away from home here.
Bayer Leverkusen are coming into this game on the back of four defeats from their last five matches across all competitions. The Germans are massive underdogs heading into this contest.
On the other hand, Monaco are on a five-match winning run and they will be fairly confident of grinding out a good result at home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
🗣️ @philippe_clemnt: "We have to play our game, our football, to win this game."#ASMB04 pic.twitter.com/1ZljCfZuSS
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) February 22, 2023
Team News and Tactics
Monaco
The home side will be without the services of Vanderson and Ruben Aguilar because of injuries. While Vanderson has a knee complaint, Aguilar will miss out due to a thigh muscle rupture. AS Monaco are likely to line up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Alexander Nubel in goal.
Chrislain Matsima and Caio Henrique are likely to line up as the full-backs, with Axel Disasi and Guillermo Maripan pairing up at the heart of the defence. In the midfield, Krepin Diatta and Aleksandr Golovin are likely to line up as the wingers. The duo will hope to add creativity and width to the side.
Youssouf Fofana and Mohamed Camara will be deployed in the middle of the park and the two players will hope to win the ball back and recycle possession. Takumi Minamino is set to lead the line alongside Breel Embolo.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Nubel; Matsima, Disasi, Maripan, Henrique; Diatta, Fofana, Camara, Golovin; Minamino, Embolo
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen will be without the services of Andrey Lunev, Charles Aranguiz and Moussa Diaby because of injuries.
Diaby picked up a hip injury in the first leg, and he is expected to miss out through muscle injury here. The French winger has been outstanding for the German club this season, and his absence will be a massive blow for the visitors.
🗯️ @XabiAlonso: "Of course, we also talked about emotion control after the first leg. The impressions are still very fresh. We learned a lot about the opponent, but also about ourselves. We'll see if we do better tomorrow."
🔜 #ASMB04 | #UEL | #Bayer04 pic.twitter.com/FCx37Szv5b
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) February 22, 2023
The Bundesliga side are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lukas Hradecky in goal. Jeremie Frimpong and Piero Hincapie are likely to line up as the full-backs, with Edmond Tapsoba partnering with Jonathan Tah at the heart of the defence.
Exequiel Palacios will partner Robert Andrich in the midfield pivot, and the two players will look to protect the centre-halves and break up the Monaco play. Nadiem Amiri and Amine Adli will line up as the wingers here with Florian Wirtz deployed as the attacking midfielder. Adam Hlozek will lead the line for the visitors.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Hradecky; Frimpong, Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Palacios, Andrich; Amiri, Wirtz, Adli; Hlozek
Key Stats
- Leverkusen’s overall record against French opponents is: W8, D4, L8.
- Since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, Florian Wirtz has been directly involved in 12 Europa League goals (six goals and as many assists).
- Of the five meetings they have had, AS Monaco have won three times and Bayer Leverkusen have won once.
- Wissam Ben Yedder is As Monaco’s top scorer this season, with 19 goals to his name.
- Bayer Leverkusen have conceded ten goals in their last five outings. AS Monaco have scored 13 goals in their last five outings.
Player to watch
Axel Disasi
Your #B04ASM MVP: Axel Disasi! 🫶 pic.twitter.com/aIYIXyGYDj
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) February 17, 2023
The French defender was outstanding in the first leg, and he scored the winning goal of the game. The 24-year-old will be a key player for AS Monaco in the second leg as well. The Ligue 1 outfit will be hoping to defend their advantage from the first leg, and Disasi will be expected to keep the Bayer Leverkusen attack in check.
The French international defender is our player to watch during the midweek, and he will have to step up defensively if Monaco are to grind out a positive result at home. And a convincing performance might attract suitors like Manchester United to launch the offensive.
Prediction
AS Monaco 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
AS Monaco are the team in-form right now and they have the momentum with them ahead of the clash with Bayer Leverkusen. The Ligue 1 outfit are on a winning run, and they will fancy their chances of picking up another victory here.
On the other hand, the German outfit have lost four of their last five matches across all competitions, with the players devoid of confidence right now. The away side will be without a key attacker in Moussa Diaby. And it seems unlikely that they will be able to overturn the deficit here. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Monaco here.
