TalkSPORT Champions League coverage on 15 March 2017
Manchester City will find it tough to contain the Monaco attack as they are the top scorers in Europe’s top five leagues, having scored 123 goals.
Monaco are hoping Radamel Falcao, who scored two goals in the first leg and has 21 for the season, can prove his fitness after suffering a hip injury at the weekend.
But Guardiola wants to use the performance and attitude of Barca as an example to his own players, rather than a warning of what Monaco could produce. They are a preposterously young and athletic team, and they utilized their speed and strength advantage over City by running right over them. “I told my players, even today, that the small details count”, he said.
The quarter final takes place in Nyon on Friday just after 11am. That is the first step.
Spending 24 years at Monaco as a player, staff member and eventually manager, if there’s anyone who knows the principality club well, it’s Southampton manager Claude Puel.
After more good work down the left flank, a ball in found Fabinho in the box and he turned it in first time to put Monaco 5-5 ahead on the away goals rule. “The idea is to attack”. Their defence is nearly non-existent at times and that is just the sort of team that we can thrive against. You can take some examples, yes, but we have a different way of playing in comparison to Barcelona. The Citizens didn’t play with the intensity one would expect from a team on the brink of elimination, and after three minutes of added time, the Premier League giants were knocked out of the competition. “I think that’s what we’re here for”. The club has full confidence in me, the staff and my team-mates make me feel important. That is why they are unlikely to play a defensive game and will look to the likes of Sergio Aguero, 28, to grab a vital away goal after their famous 5-3 first leg win.
“We have to attack in the same way that we did here at the Etihad and if we do we’ll create chances and score goals”, goalkeeper Willy Caballero said.
It will be of no comfort to City that they participated in a classic tie, and one which boasts more goals than any other in Champions League history. “We have lots of competitions to win”, said Polish defender Kamil Glik, who will miss the second leg through suspension.
Kick off is at 19:45 on Wednesday March 15.
The great European strike-forces will not fear this defence and the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will all fancy their chances at the Stade Louis II. Here’s all the info you need about the ground.
Yes – the match will be televised on BT Sport in the UK.
Tickets to this match have now sold out.