Preview of the Monaco vs. Aston Villa game
Out of form domestically and in the Champions League, Monaco is three points clear of the automatic last-16 and elimination places as Adi Hutter’s side look to avoid three straight defeats at home to Aston Villa in the European Cup on Tuesday (5.45pm GMT).
After a 2-1 defeat in Montpellier on Friday that left them winless in four games in 2025, Hutter denied his players were distracted by the prospect of facing the 1981-82 European champions on the penultimate matchday had been.
“I have a lot of respect for Montpellier, but we had to push through to regain confidence,” said the Austrian after his side blew a lead at the bottom of Ligue 1 and Musa Al-Taamari equalized.
“Tuesday will be a completely different game: it’s the Champions League at home, but I don’t think the team had Aston Villa in mind yet.
“We were dominant in the first half. We were the better team. And after the (equalizer) and the way we conceded it, I noticed some bad body language… We only managed to become dangerous in the last few minutes.”
Villa sit eighth in the Premier League after a contrasting record on Saturday, recovering from a 2-0 deficit after 59 minutes at title contenders Arsenal secure a 2-2 draw thanks to two goals in nine minutes from Ollie Watkins and Youri Tielemans.
They are one point clear of the Champions League’s automatic promotion places, helped by Ross Barkley’s 85th-minute winner in a 3-2 win at Leipzig on December 10.
“Arsenal was the better team, but Villa came back and drew,” said Hutter, noting that his counterpart Unai Emery had won the Europa League three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.
“(Emiliano) Martinez is an incredible goalkeeper. (Morgan) Rogers is a fantastic No. 10, (with Jhon) Duran and Watkins as forwards.
“Tielemans sets the pace in central midfield. We also have to be very careful with every goal at this stage of the league. Every goal can be decisive.”
Team news Monaco vs Villa
Folarin Balogun is out for Monaco due to shoulder surgery, while fellow striker George Ilenikhena is out with muscular problems.
Winger Krepin Diatta is not fit and defender Thilo Kehrer – who scored against Montpelier – will be suspended in the event of a yellow card.
“If we lose our intensity, the coach will completely kill us,” striker Breel Embolo said via Birmingham Live. “The teams show us more respect and the opponents defend harder. We have to adapt.
“We are still the same team we were three months ago. We have the same coach and the same players. It’s a chance to make things right.”
Midfielders Amadou Onana and John McGinn are doubtful for Villa, with defenders Diego Carlos (suspension) and Pau Torres (ankle) and playmaker Barkley ruled out with a calf injury.
Duran, who was reportedly the subject of a £57million bid from West Ham on Mondaywill be suspended for the game against Celtic on January 29 (8pm) if the striker receives a yellow card.
New signing Donyell Painting cannot be registered for the Champions League until the knockout round.
The expected lineups between Monaco and Aston Villa
Monaco: Majecki; Caio Henrique, Kehrer, Singo, Vanderson; CAMERA, Zakaria; Ben Seghir, Golovin, Akliouche; Pistons
Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Onana; Bailey, Tielemans, Ramsey; Watkins
forecast
At the sharp end of the league phaseVictory for both teams could be hugely important to their ambitions of automatic progression by finishing as one of the top eight teams in the new 36-team single table format.
Much could depend on whether Monaco rediscovers its early-season form by taking ten points from a possible twelve and beating Barcelona and Red Star at home.
Hutter’s side were briefly top of France as they started eight games unbeaten in Ligue 1, but since then they have lost five of 10 league games and drawn two and suffered consecutive European defeats at home to Benfica and at Arsenal.
In their first season in the modern Champions League, Villa suffered their only defeat against Club Brugge, while their defensive record is the fourth best in this season’s competition.
By contrast, only three teams in the top 23 have conceded more goals than the 10 conceded by Monaco, which lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 in its only home game since December 7.
The 2003/04 finalists will not want to visit Inter on the final day uncomfortably close to the last eight elimination places, and they have a useful record against English opponents: they have won 11 and drawn six of their 21 meetings.
Villa have won three times and drawn 2-2 twice in their last five games. Expect them to repeat the defensive prowess they have shown in Europe this season with a 1-1 draw.
