UCL Preview: What's at stake for Ligue 1 on Matchday 8
No. 10 AS Monaco @ No. 4 Inter Milan
Inter have conceded just once in Europe this season, racking up five wins and a draw under Simone Inzaghi. A side boasting former Ligue 1 players Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard will be dangerous indeed, but the Principality side can also perhaps take some heart from the fact that Inter are all but assured a place in the Top 8, and with the Milan derby this weekend could rotate. Even if the hosts do make some changes, this is sure to be a cagy affair, but with a win potentially able to push Adi Hütter's team into that bracket as well, don't expect the Rouge et Blanc to back down.
We're ready for tomorrow! ⚔️🫡
🔜 @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/ClQSJCgMWU— AS Monaco EN 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco_EN) January 28, 2025
No. 12 LOSC Lille vs. No. 11 Feyenoord
After a bruising defeat at Anfield, in a match in which they finished with ten men, Les Dogues will be eager to get back to winning ways. Both the hosts and the Dutch side, who scored a landmark win over Bayern Munich in their last match, will surely have designs on the top eight as well. Both are level on 13 points, the same as Bayern Leverkusen in 8th, making the potential reward for victory impressive indeed. With Benjamin André suspended, Lille will have a callow side on offer, but that hasn't stopped them to date in Europe...
No. 13 Stade Brestois vs. no. 16 real madrid
With 12 points, there is still a chance, however faint, that Carlo Ancelotti's team could get a place in the top 8, and there's no suggestion they'll be at less than their best, even with injuries in defence and Vinicius Jr. suspended. Brest have a similarly slim chance of reaching the top 8, but are more likely to play for a draw that would likely allow them to remain seeded in the knockout draw.
No. 22 Paris Saint-Germain @ no. 24 VFB Stuttgart
The most eye-catching match of all, of course, will come in Germany, as Paris Saint-Germain will look to seal their place in the playoffs against an opponent trying to do the same. Both sides have ten points, and only a win can assure each of a place in the next round, making this a high-drama affair. The German side don't boast many recognizable names, but their win away to Juventus in this competition shows they can be a dangerous team.
Read more:
