Borussia Dortmund will face AS Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday, with kick-off at 8pm BST.
Marco Reus Dortmund to Extend Monaco Misery
Form
These two European clubs are currently experiencing two very different kinds of seasons. Borussia Dortmund are sitting at the top of the Bundesliga after a comeback 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, whereas Monaco notched their sixth defeat of the season against St Etienne. In this European match, this kind of form can go out of the window, though. After all, Monaco will want to try and improve on their worrying form. Dortmund will be looking to supercharge their momentum with another win.
Past Meetings
The first and latest time these two teams met was in April 2017 in the Champions League. The result was 3-2 to Monaco, thanks to a fantastic performance by Kylian Mbappé who notched two goals. Both sides have had changes in personnel since then, however many players remain to face each other again. Last time out, the match was an enthralling quarter-final. This time it will be an important group stage match to decide who will take the ascendancy in the group. A win for Monaco would blow Group A wide open. However, Dortmund can take a huge step to progress into the next round with a win. Thus, the stakes are still high like in their last meeting.
Dismantling Monaco
Take a look at Monaco’s squad. Their average age is about 22 years old. Whilst they have some experience with the likes of Diego Benaglio in goal, Kamil Glik in defence and Radamel Falcao up top, this is a squad full of young players.
The reason for this mainly lies in Monaco’s transfer policy which mainly consists of buying and developing young talent before selling them for a huge profit. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since they have had the likes of Kylian Mbappé, James Rodriguez and Anthony Martial on their books. However, once these players move on, it takes time to fill the gaps. In fact, many of these players exert such an influence on the general playing style of the team. Therefore, it leaves a hangover for the rest of the squad to adjust to. Suddenly they are missing a top striker or a playmaker. Monaco’s form this season partially reflects this.
Goal Threat
If Dortmund have proved anything in their last two matches, it is that they can outscore their opposition. They notched 11 goals against Nuremberg and Bayer Leverkusen. Monaco must be wary to shut down their main threats. Marco Reus, a loyal servant of Dortmund, has recently stepped up in his form, with three goals and an assist in these fixtures. Paco Alcacer has scored three goals in two substitute appearances. Don’t overlook Christian Pulisic either, who has scored six from the midfield. In short, Monaco have a lot of work to do if they are to stop the might of the Germans.
Predictions
Dortmund have the better form, whilst Monaco looks to be struggling through a dismal season. The Germans have home advantage at Westfalenstadion, which compounds the task for Leonardo Jardim. The Portuguese manager has recently criticised the mentality of his team after poor responses to defeats in the league. This is an issue that won’t likely be a quick fix. If Dortmund can grab an early goal, it may spell further doom for the French side.
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