Sabasports Match Preview
UEFA Champions League: Benfica vs AS Monaco
Kickoff Time: 2025-02-19 4:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Alberto Lingria
Benfica secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Santa Clara in their league match last weekend, extending their winning streak to five games across all competitions, showcasing impressive form. In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff, Benfica capitalized on having an extra player, ultimately defeating AS Monaco 1-0 away with a goal from Vangelis Pavlidis. Benfica primarily employs a 4-3-3 formation, emphasizing a blend of wing play and set-piece tactics in their attacking strategy. They create opportunities for their forwards through midfield control and wing breakthroughs. Notably, Benfica has shown strong home performance, winning seven, drawing one, and losing two of their last 10 home matches. Furthermore, in their history, Benfica has never lost at home to Ligue 1 teams in the Champions League, boasting a record of 13 wins and five draws, which boosts their confidence for the second leg.
AS Monaco ended a two-match losing streak with a resounding 7-1 home victory over Nantes last weekend. They primarily play in a 4-2-3-1 formation and are known for their quick counterattacks, making them a strong offensive team. However, Monaco’s ability to break down defenses can be inconsistent, often relying on individual player skills to solve problems. When facing tightly organized defenses, they struggle to find solutions. Additionally, there is a significant disparity between Monaco’s home and away performances; they have only managed one win, three draws, and six losses in their last 10 away matches. In their four away games in this season’s Champions League, they have only achieved one win, one draw, and two losses, making their away form quite disappointing.
Overall, based on the performance and current form of both teams, Benfica clearly stands out as the stronger side compared to Monaco. Furthermore, Benfica has an impressive record against Monaco in the Champions League, with three wins and one draw in their previous encounters, holding a clear historical advantage. Considering Benfica’s strong home performance, Monaco’s weak away form may spell trouble for them in the second leg.
Benfica’s Last 5 Games: WWWWW
25-02-16 Santa Clara 0-1 Benfica
25-02-13 AS Monaco 0-1 Benfica
25-02-09 Benfica 3-2 Moreirense
25-02-03 CF Estrela da Amadora 2-3 Benfica
25-01-30 Juventus 0-2 Benfica
AS Monaco’s Last 5 Games: WLLWL
25-02-16 AS Monaco 7-1 Nantes
25-02-13 AS Monaco 0-1 Benfica
25-02-08 Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 AS Monaco
25-02-02 AS Monaco 4-2 Auxerre
25-01-30 Inter 3-0 AS Monaco
Head To Head Record:
25-02-13 AS Monaco 0-1 Benfica
24-11-28 AS Monaco 2-3 Benfica
14-11-05 Benfica 1-0 AS Monaco
14-10-23 AS Monaco 0-0 Benfica
10-07-25 Benfica 3-2 AS Monaco
Prediction: Benfica to win