Monaco vs Benfica Prediction: 27/11/2024

AS Monaco has been one of the standout teams in this Champions League phase, along with Stade Brestois and LOSC. The club, which was expected to compete for a spot in the top 8, is doing even better and sits in 3rd place at the halfway point with 10 points, just ahead of Liverpool and Sporting. Their campaign began with a strong 2-1 win over FC Barcelona, followed by a draw against Dinamo Zagreb on a rain-soaked pitch.

Monaco then cruised to a 5-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade and a 1-0 win against Bologna, keeping them in an excellent position. In Ligue 1, Monaco is also performing well, currently in 2nd place behind PSG, despite losses to Nice (2-1) and Angers (1-0). They secured a 3-1 win over Strasbourg before the break and will host Brest on Friday.

Benfica, on the other hand, had a strong start to their Champions League campaign, winning 2-1 at Red Star Belgrade and dominating Atlético Madrid 4-0. However, their form faltered with losses to Feyenoord (3-1) and Bayern Munich (1-0), leaving them in 19th place in the group. In the Portuguese league, Benfica is not in top form, sitting 3rd and already 8 points behind Sporting, though they did have an impressive 4-1 win over FC Porto. They will play Arouca in the Cup on Saturday.

For AS Monaco, they will be without midfielder Edan Diop, who has not played this season, and striker Balogun, who has scored 3 goals in Ligue 1 but is sidelined for a while. Starting midfielder Camara, who was suspended last Friday, will be available for this European match.

Captain Zakaria returned to action on Friday, and promising youngster Akliouche, who has scored 2 goals in the Champions League, is uncertain for this game. On the positive side, Ben Seghir (4 goals in Ligue 1) should be available, as well as key defender Kherer, who scored the winning goal against Bologna.

Benfica will be without striker Gouveia, who remains injured, along with Argentine substitute Prestianni, who is dealing with an ankle injury. Midfielder Barreiro, who was absent during the last international break, is uncertain but is on his way back. Ángel Di Maria, in what is likely his final season in Europe, has been effective with 3 goals and 2 assists in the league, along with a goal in the Champions League. Turkish winger Aktürkoglu (5 goals in the league) and Greek striker Pavlidis (3 goals) are expected to keep their places in the starting lineup.

 

Prediction

Incredibly, 18 of Benfica’s last 18 away matches in the Champions League have seen over 2.5 goals, highlighting their attacking consistency. Similarly, seven of Monaco’s last nine home games in the competition have also featured at least three goals.

Prediction: Monaco 1 – 2 Benfica.