Monaco v Leverkusen: line-ups, where to watch, form guide
Monday, September 26, 2016
Article summary
Leonardo Jardim calls on his Monaco side to use their speed of thought and movement against a Leverkusen team who are chasing an away win in a group "with no favourites".
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Article body
- Leonardo Jardim tells hosts to play to strengths and avoid physical battle
- Monaco never lost to Leverkusen in teams' four previous meetings
- Ligue 1 side prevailed 1-0 home and away against Leverkusen in 2014/15
- Monaco have won eight of last nine games in all competitions
- Elsewhere in Group E: CSKA Moskva v Tottenham Hotspur
Possible line-ups
Monaco: Subašić; Raggi, Glik, Jemerson, Sidibé; Fabinho, Bakayoko; Lemar, Moutinho, Silva; Germain.
Out: Dirar (calf), Falcao (head)
Leverkusen: Leno; Henrichs, Tah, Ömer Toprak, Wendell; Bender, Aránguiz, Brandt, Kampl; Javier Hernández, Volland.
Out: Bellarabi (groin)
Doubtful: Hakan Çalhanoğlu (leg)
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.
Leonardo Jardim, Monaco coach
We'll play to our strengths. We have small and technical players so we'll try to avoid aerial and physical battles with their defence. We'll use the speed and technique of our players. We will miss Falcao because he's one of the best attackers in the world, but I have faith in Valère Germain and Guido Carrillo that they will do the business on the pitch. There are no favourites in this group we're in.
Roger Schmidt, Leverkusen coach
We need to be patient and prove we've improved from when we last played them two years ago. We must get the three points after our draw against CSKA Moskva. Victory is imperative for us.
Javier Hernández is a very important player for us because he scores goals. Not only that, he also works hard for the team. At the start of the season he had a broken hand, which held him back. Now he's scoring goals and we're delighted for him.
Weekend results
Monaco 2-1 Angers (Glik 66, Nwakaeme og 76; Diedhiou 55)
Kamil Glik pounced after Angers failed to clear a corner and then struck the shot that visiting keeper Mathieu Michel pushed against team-mate Dickson Nwakaeme and in. Monaco were without Radamel Falcao due to a head blow sustained in the 4-0 loss to Nice three days earlier.
Mainz 2-3 Leverkusen (Yunus Mallı 31, Bell 35; Hernández 32, 66, 90+2)
Twice a goal down, Leverkusen claimed maximum points courtesy of Javier Hernández's second Bundesliga hat-trick.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Monaco: WLWWWW
Leverkusen: WDLDWL
Reporter's view: David Crossan (@UEFAcomDavidC)
Jardim will recall several players rested for Saturday's Ligue 1 success, including Thomas Lemar, who helped turn the Angers game as a substitute having also come off the bench to score against Tottenham. How Monaco needed the points following the derby defeat by a Mario Balotelli-inspired Nice last midweek, a contest far closer than the 4-0 scoreline might suggest.
Centre-half Glik was back to his best and will be central to ASM plans to snuff out Hernández. Do that and Monaco will fancy their chances of maximum spoils.
Did you know?
Leverkusen's last encounter with French opposition brought a 6-1 aggregate reverses against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League round of 16 (0-4 home, 1-2 away). Find out more in our extensive match background.