More goals in Monaco
Published:
Still all to play for on Wednesday
Sports lovers really are spoiled for choice this week, and no sooner does the day’s racing at Cheltenham finish and we turn our attentions to the evening’s live Champions League action. It’s the stuff of dreams.
Wednesday evening is a bit special however as we see Monaco and Man City go back at it in France, following that stunning eight-goal blockbuster at the Etihad last month. We all know the strength in attack of both teams, but few predicted they would take each other head-on, resulting in a breath-taking 90-minutes that ended with The Citizens winning 5-3. Is that enough of a first-leg aggregate lead to go through? Well, yes, mathematically anyway, but this one has plenty of life left in it.
City on the goals trail
Since pulling rank over their French foes, City have gone on to beat Huddersfield and Middlesbrough in the FA Cup and Sunderland in the Premier League, but were held to a surprising 0-0 draw by a dogged Stoke side earlier this month. They have rattled in nine goals in their last four starts, and are fancied to continue that trend at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday, live on BT Sport from 7.45pm.
Both teams to score again has been marked up as a 4/11 favourite with the Coral traders. Aguero hit a double against Monaco at the Etihad and has since fired in another four, including a deuce vs Huddersfield and one in a weekend win away to Middlesbrough. The 28-year-old Argentinian is 7/2 to score the first goal here, only 4/5 to net anytime, while another brace will bag you 12/5 in the two or more goals market.
Home side to prove a point
Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim will be furious at both himself and his players for getting drawn into a gun-fight in the first leg away from home. Scoring three away goals in the Champions League will see you past most sides over two legs, but they have to defend when doing it, and now must find at least two goals to make things interesting.
This game is not over by anyone’s standards, and a 2-0 home win would see them progress. They may view that as the best way to approach this – keep it simple, and resist the urge to come flying out of the traps again. Monaco must score, that much is true, but if they concede to City at home that could drive the final nail into their coffin.
Monaco value to qualify
The Red and Whites to get the 2-0 win they crave has been cast out at 12/1 in an attempt to drum up some interest, while a Monaco win – regardless of how they achieve it or if they go through or not – is yours at 31/20.
The danger is Monaco don’t know how to shut up shop at the back, but they must, they can’t get drawn into another shoot-out on Wednesday. Traders have City at 1/7 to qualify, but I think it’s closer than that. There’s all to play for, so I’ll put forward Monaco to go through at a fantastic 4/1. An interest on that will allow us to enjoy the game, while having a bet on a price that’s bigger than it should be.
