UCL preview: Monaco host Galatasaray, PSG and OM face tricky trips
Monaco, PSG, and Marseille are in action in midweek as they look to further their chances of progression in this season's Champions League.
Monaco host Galatasaray but denied reunion
Monaco will host Galatasaray at the Stade Louis II on Tuesday night. They go into the UCL encounter occupying a place for the play-offs, which will take place next February. However, they are placed precariously in 23rd, level on points with Pafos, against whom they dropped points last time out (2-2).
As a result, they need points. Could they perhaps count on the returning Paul Pogba to bolster their chances? La Pioche has now played for the Principality club on three occasions in Ligue 1 McDonald's, but he has yet to feature in the Champions League.
Pogba’s passion ❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/rwJTd8uj5C
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) December 2, 2025
It would perhaps be unlikely to see him start, given that they have Denis Zakaria and Lamine Camara fit and raring to go. One player who certainly won't feature is Wilfried Singo, who traded the Principality for Galatasaray over the summer, but who is ruled out of this game through injury. There could, however, be a reunion with Ismail Jakobs, who now plies his trade for the Turkish giants.
Speaking pre-match, Sébastien Pocognoli said that it would be "a very high-level match" against the Turkish sides. That was also the case when Monaco beat PSG at the end of last month, but the club succumbed to defeat to Brest last time out in Ligue 1 McDonald's and so Les Monégasques will look to bounce back against Galatasaray.
Predicted line-ups:
Monaco (4-2-3-1): Hradecky; Henrique, Salisu, Kehrer, Vanderson; Zakaria, Camara; Golovin, Minamino, Akliouche; Balogun.
Galatasaray (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Kahraman, Bardakci, Sanchez, Sallai; Torreira, Gabriel Sara; Yilmaz, Gundogan, Sané; Osimhen.
Marseille look to pick up where they left off
Marseille, meanwhile, like Monaco, are on six points in this season's UCL. Three of those points came last time out, thanks to a comeback win over Newcastle, secured through a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brace (2-1).
They face a tricky trip to Belgium to face Union Saint-Gilloise. It is the Belgian side's first-ever season in the Champions League, and they got there thanks to the exploits of now-Monaco manager Pocognoli.
But they are ambitious, as their manager, David Hubert, proved in the pre-match press conference. "OM are a team that has everything, including history. There is a lot in this team, but they aren't a team without weaknesses [...] we will try to make the task very difficult [for them]: restrain their qualities, while exploiting their weak points," he said.
Predicted line-ups:
Union Saint-Gilloise (3-4-3): Scherpen; Mac Allister, Burgess, Sykes; Boufal, Zorgane, Van de Perre, Niang; Ait El Hadj Rodriguez, Akinpelu.
Marseille (4-2-3-1): Rulli; Emerson, Balerdi, Aguerd, Pavard; Vermeeren, Hojbjerg; Paixao, Gomes, Greenwood; Aubameyang.
PSG look to keep within touching distance of leaders Arsenal
Arsenal currently have a perfect record in this season's Champions League with five wins in five, but PSG are only three points behind, their only defeat coming against Bayern Munich.
Last time out, they beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-3 in a thriller, with Vitinha shining on that night. His hat-trick against Spurs means that he is currently PSG's top scorer in the competition with four goals.
They are currently well-placed to finish inside the top eight, as they look to defend their crown. However, for the trip to face Athletic Club, they could be without Ousmane Dembélé, who is suffering from illness. It may provide the club's Titis with another chance to step up, just as they did over the weekend during the 5-0 win over Rennes.
Predicted line-ups:
Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Simon; Berchiche, Lekue, Vivian, Arseo; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Willians, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta.
PSG (4-3-3): Chevalier; Mendes, Pacho, Zabarnyi, Zaire-Emery; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Barcola, Mayulu, Kvaratskhelia.
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