Will the Monégasques defend their top spot in the table?
Sofiane Diop’s 89th-minute joker goal secured AS Monaco a 2-1 away win in the first leg in Eindhoven. The team from the principality finished the first leg of the Europa League Group B series in first place and will now be looking to defend their top spot in the standings.
However, the Boers will be confident. PSV have won 14 of their 25 away games in the Europa League group stage so far. Nevertheless, in the run-up to the second leg between Monaco and PSV Eindhoven, the odds are swinging in the direction of the hosts.
The team from the principality, however, has suffered a recent home defeat. Since reaching the Champions League semi-finals in 2017, the Monégasques have lost eight of their ten subsequent international home games at the Stade Louis II. Accordingly, it is complicated to tip on the next victory for the Kovac eleven in Monaco against PSV Eindhoven.
Instead, we will bet that both teams will score in this second leg. After all, the Dutch need to score to keep their chances of reaching the knockout rounds alive.
Monaco – Statistics & current form
2017 AS Monaco surprisingly secured their eighth and so far last national championship in Ligue 1 and advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League. Also because all the key players from Mbappé to Falcao and Martial were sold, the team from the principality missed out on a European competition for the last two years in a row.
Third in the 2020/21 season, the Monégasques bounced back from a five-point deficit to champions Lille, but narrowly failed to beat Shakhtyor Donetsk in extra time on their way to the Champions League play-offs.
Only tenth in Ligue 1
For only the second time since 2015/16, the Rouges et Blancs will thus compete in the Europa League group stage, in which they failed in the preliminary round back then. The interim result is correspondingly positive, as Niko Kovac’s side are in first place in Group B after seven out of a possible nine points.
Overall, however, the 2021/22 season is capable of improvement for the team from the principality. Monaco have only won five of their first twelve league games in Ligue 1 and occupy a sobering tenth place. On Sunday, moreover, the dress rehearsal failed in a 2-0 defeat at the previously still winless hosts Stade Brestois.
Eight of the last ten international home games lost
The Monégasques’ recent international record is similarly sobering, having lost six consecutive international fixtures at home to Stade Louis II following their Champions League semi-final exit in 2017. In total, there have been eight defeats in the last ten European home games.
However, those two victories are from the current season, when they beat Sparta Prague in the Champions League qualifiers and Sturm Graz in the group stage. Therefore, betting on a home win for the Rouges et Blancs in Monaco against PSV Eindhoven is not necessarily a bad idea.
Predicted line-up of Monaco:
Nübel – Henrique – Badiashile – Maripán – Disasi – Aguilar – Tchouaméni – Lucas – Fofana – Boadu – Volland
Last matches played by Monaco:
Ligue 1
10/31 2021 – Brest 2 – 0 AS Monaco
10/24 2021 – AS Monaco 3 – 1 Montpellier
Europa League Grp. B
10/21 2021 – PSV Eindhoven 1 – 2 AS Monaco
Ligue 1
10/16 2021 – Lyon 2 – 0 AS Monaco
10/03 2021 – AS Monaco 3 – 0 Bordeaux
PSV Eindhoven – Statistics & current form
PSV Eindhoven have won the Dutch championship 24 times in their history, but recently they were unable to get past Ajax Amsterdam. Although Roger Schmidt’s team secured the runners-up spot again this summer, they ended up 16 points behind the Godenzonen.
Second in the final table, the Boers still had their Champions League hopes up but, like Monaco, failed to make the play-offs when the Dutch side were held to a goalless draw at home to Benfica Lisbon after a 2-1 defeat.
The weekend before last Eindhoven lost 5-0 in Amsterdam
A look at the current Eredivisie table reveals the same picture: Ajax Amsterdam are at the top. Two points behind them are the Rood-witten (the red and whites) from Eindhoven, who, however, found out the weekend before last that the gap to the Godenzonen is much bigger than the table currently shows.
Roger Schmidt’s team lost 5-0 away in the Dutch capital and once again saw their hopes of claiming championship number 25 significantly scaled back.
Won 14 of 25 away games in EL group stage
Although the Boeren redeemed themselves on Saturday with a 5:2 win over Twente Enschede. Overall, however, the performance in the Europa League is also capable of improvement. Schmidt’s team only picked up four points out of a possible nine from their first three games, which means Eindhoven are only third in Group B.
Predicted line-up of PSV Eindhoven:
Drommel – Max – Obispo – Ramalho – Mwene – Boscagli – Götze – van Ginkel – Gakpo – Madueke – Vinícius
Last matches played by PSV Eindhoven:
Eredivisie
10/30 2021 – PSV Eindhoven 5 – 2 Twente Enschede
10/24 2021 – Ajax Amsterdam 5 – 0 PSV Eindhoven
Europa League Grp. B
10/21 2021 – PSV Eindhoven 1 – 2 AS Monaco
Eredivisie
10/16 2021 – PSV Eindhoven 3 – 1 PEC Zwolle
10/03 2021 – PSV Eindhoven 2 – 1 Sparta Rotterdam
Monaco – PSV Eindhoven Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 2 – 1 – 2
The first leg a fortnight ago was the fifth competitive match between the two teams and Monaco’s 2-1 away win in Eindhoven temporarily evened their record. With a draw, both teams are now on two wins apiece.
Monaco – PSV Eindhoven Tip
When it comes to Monaco against PSV Eindhoven, predicting the outcome of the match is extremely complicated. The Monégasques have had a hard time in international home games lately and are not doing too well in Ligue 1 either, while Eindhoven have won seven of their last ten games away from home. However, the team from the principality already won the first leg in the Netherlands 2-1.
Accordingly, the three-way system should be avoided in this pairing. Instead, we bet on both teams to score. After all, there were already goals on both sides in the first leg.
