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UCL Preview: Monaco Seek to Overcome One-Goal Deficit Against Benfica
Monaco will look for better luck in the goal-scoring department in the second leg. Monaco only had six total shots over 90 minutes in that first leg loss, so Adi Hütter and his team will eye a better performance.
Benfica and Monaco played a goalless first half, with the visitors managing six shots and the home side recording three. In the second half, it was the away team that finally broke the deadlock.
In the 48th minute, Vangelis Pavlidis got past Mohammed Salisu in the box and chipped the ball over Radosław Majecki, giving Benfica the 1-0 aggregate lead as they head home.
Monaco did have an offensive outburst in their 7-1 victory this past weekend against FC Nantes, so the team will look to carry the positive momentum from the contest to fuel the goal-scoring needed against Benfica.
Mika Biereth netted a hat-trick and George Ilenikhena scored twice against Nantes. If Les Rouges et Blancs want to advance to the next stage of the Champions League, they'll need more from their two young stars and the rest of the team.
They'll have to score at least two goals and keep a clean sheet in the 90-minute period to move on. As for Benfica, they're coming off a 1-0 win over C.D. Santa Clara this past weekend and all they'll need to do against Monaco is hold onto their advantage.
The Monégasques will also have to cope with several key absences, including Vanderson (suspension), Jordan Teze (injury), Denis Zakaria (suspension), Al-Musrati (suspension), Soungoutou Magassa (injury), Aleksandr Golovin (injury), and Folarin Balogun (injury).
Monaco are also facing another issue along with the 1-0 aggregate deficit as they attempt to do something they haven't managed in a while: beat a Portuguese club in a European competition.
The Ligue 1 McDonald's club haven't won any of its last nine matches against Portuguese teams in European competitions, recording two draws and seven losses.
Should Monaco secure the road result in Lisbon that will see them through, they will join LOSC Lille and one of Paris Saint-Germain or Stade Brestois in the next phase of the competition.
READ MORE:
>>George Ilenikhena: Monaco Youngster Seeks to Overcome Injury Setback
