Soccer Champions League

Arsenal vs. Monaco First Leg: Game Preview, Prediction

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By @DFresh39

Champions League Arsenal v Monaco

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Emotions will be rampant for Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger as his old club AS Monaco comes to Arsenal Stadium for the 2015 Champions League Round of 16. Wenger transformed Monaco in his stint as boss from 1987 to 1994. Now Wenger leads an Arsenal squad that is the favorite in this match up and look to avoid a fifth consecutive loss at this stage in the competition.

The two clubs have never met in a competitive match, although Monaco did win a preseason battle this past August. Radamel Falcao, now with Manchester United, scored the only goal in the match. Although Monaco won their group, they finished with less points than Arsenal, who finished second in Group D.

Arsenal will come into this round thankful for their pairing sporting a 5-3-2 record at home against French competition. They have three wins and one draw at home in this season’s competition, including a playoff tie. Wenger’s overall record against French clubs while at the helm of Arsenal is 10-4-2. Since matchday, six in the group stages, Arsenal has played 14 matches in all competitions and went 11-1-2.

This is Monaco’s first trip to this stage in a decade. Leonardo Jardim‘s club will rely on defense. They gave up only one goal in the six matches of the group stage. Having only scored four goals in the group stage and just 26 goals in 25 games in Ligue 1, Monaco will have to keep this low scoring. Despite the scoring issues, Monaco has only dropped one match in their last 14, that includes a four game winning streak on the road, which has led to the best away record in their domestic league.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey will be out, but Monaco is still weary of Alexis Sánchez, Mesut Özil and on-form Olivier Giroud. For Monaco the attack must come through Dimitar Berbatov and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco. They’ve combined for 10 of Monaco’s 26 goals in Ligue 1.

Do not expect an exciting match in London even if Arsenal manage to find a breakthrough early. Monaco may look to take advantage of a counter attack, but they will try to lock this match down and rely on the second leg at home.

Prediction: 0-0 Draw

Douglas Smith is a soccer writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DFresh39, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

Related:

Home Leg First is an Advantage for Arsenal

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