Preview: Arsenal vs AS Monaco – stats, team news, line-ups

Arsenal return to Champions League action on Wednesday night, taking on French giants AS Monaco in a league-phase battle for supremacy at the Emirates Stadium.

Both sides occupy the final two spots in the Champions League top eight and will be determined to strengthen their chances of clinching automatic qualification to the knockout rounds.

Arsenal will be eager to bounce back from a frustrating draw against Fulham in last weekend’s London derby that put another significant dent in their Premier League title challenge.

By contrast, Monaco will travel to the London capital brimming with confidence after picking up a comfortable home win against Toulouse to keep touch with Paris Saint-Germain at the Ligue 1 summit.

Heading into Wednesday’s mouth-watering contest, only one spot separates Arsenal and Monaco in the 36-team Champions League table, and it promises to be another thrilling European showdown.

Seatsnet.com have made Champions League tickets readily available at the best rate on the market for fans looking to catch all the action live from the Emirates.

Match Preview

Arsenal were in scintillating form in their most recent Champions League outing on matchday five when they sent a strong message to the rest of the pack by dismantling Sporting CP 5-1 at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

While a high-scoring affair was within the realm of possibility, few could have predicted such a commanding display from Mikel Arteta’s side. Sporting, now seemingly bereft of the cohesion once inspired by Ruben Amorim, found themselves overrun by a relentless Gunners squad.

Arsenal’s emphatic win not only secured Arsenal’s place among Europe’s elite eight but also underscored their resurgent continental form.

The North London side, who had already triumphed over Shakhtar Donetsk and Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates this season, have now won six Champions League home games since the 2023/24 campaign began.

Only Barcelona and Bayern Munich (seven each) boast a better record.

Arsenal’s ability to find the net consistently in Europe has also been key, as they have scored in each of their last 11 Champions League home matches.

Sharing a 10-point tally with the Gunners from five group-stage games, AS Monaco trail their Premier League counterparts only on goal difference.

Under Adi Hutter, Les Monegasques are eager to bounce back from their recent continental setback, having suffered a crushing 3-2 defeat at the hands of Portuguese giants SL Benfica at the Stade Louis II.

Despite holding 1-0 and 2-1 leads, a red card for Wilfried Singo early in the second half opened the door for Benfica’s dramatic comeback, sealed by Burnley loanee Zeki Amdouni’s decisive strike.

Singo redeemed himself in Ligue 1 action over the weekend, scoring the opener in Monaco’s comprehensive 2-0 victory against mid-table Toulouse.

Breel Embolo added the second as Monaco tightened their grip on a top-three position in the French top flight.

Currently level on points with Olympique Marseille and five behind leaders PSG, Monaco’s domestic credentials suggest they could mount a serious challenge for silverware this season.

For now, their attention will be firmly fixed on their Champions League commitment as they look to end their appalling away drought.

You’d have to go back to the 2014/15 season for the last time they won on foreign soil in Europe’s premier competition.

Their resolve will face a stern test against an Arsenal side brimming with confidence and intent on extending their impressive European run.

Key Stats

Arsenal had struggled for shut-outs at the Emirates earlier in the season, but Arteta managed to plug the leakage, with the Gunners now boasting four clean sheets in their last six games on home turf.

The North Londoners are also yet to suffer defeat at home across all competitions this season, winning seven of their last eight at their headquarters (D1).

Arsenal have been prolific on the road all season, but they struggled to find their goalscoring boots over the weekend as they were denied a late winner in the 1-1 Premier League draw with Fulham.

Having dropped another two points, Arsenal could slip nine points behind runaway leaders Liverpool if the Reds win their game in hand.

However, their immediate focus will be on Monaco, who are looking to win back-to-back UCL games on the road for the first time since February 2015.

Coincidentally, their second win in that run came against Arsenal.

They claimed a 3-1 win against the Gunners at the Emirates before succumbing to a 2-0 home defeat in the second leg of that last-16 tie, but they still advanced to the next round on away goals.

Team news

Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Fulham highlighted Arteta’s growing defensive conundrum, as he was forced to field his ninth different backline of the season.

A late injury to Oleksandr Zinchenko added to the uncertainty, leaving his availability for Monaco’s visit in doubt.

Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori are also doubtful for the meeting with Monaco, while Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined due to knee injuries.

With Arteta running out of defensive options, the Spaniard could bite the bullet and bring Kieran Tierney back in from the cold.

The Scottish defender was a surprise addition to Arsenal’s Champions League squad, and his return to the XI may allow Jurrien Timber to move to his preferred right-back role.

It remains to be seen if Arteta will throw Thomas Partey into the deep end, but he could either bolster the midfield or miss out entirely.

Monaco’s defence is similarly stretched but for different reasons.

The Ligue 1 side will miss Singo, who is suspended after picking up a red card against Benfica, and Christian Mawissa, who is also ruled out due to accumulated bookings.

As a result, Hutter is likely to pair Mohammed Salisu with Thilo Kehrer at the heart of the backline.

Monaco’s options are also limited in the final third, with key players sidelined due to injuries. Folarin Balogun will miss a reunion with his former employers as he nurses a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, Krepin Diatta and Edan Diop are also unavailable. However, the French outfit has an emerging star in 19-year-old Eliesse Ben Seghir. The talented forward could become only the second Monaco teenager to score in consecutive Champions League games after Kylian Mbappe.

Arsenal potential starting line-up:

(4-3-3): David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Kieran Tierney; Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino; Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli.

AS Monaco possible starting line-up:

(4-2-3-1): Radoslaw Majecki; Vanderson, Mohammed Salisu, Thilo Kehrer, Caio Henrique; Denis Zakaria, Lamine Camara; Maghnes Akliouche, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Aleksandr Golovin; Breel Embolo.

Ticket Info

Fans can cheer their favourites live by purchasing tickets from the official channels. You can go through the Arsenal or AS Monaco official website, but expect tickets to be sold at a premium.

Those looking to book a spot in the stands at a subsidised rate should look no further than Seatsnet.com, which remains the best ticket marketplace for every Champions League fixture.

How to Watch

TNT Sports and Amazon Prime Video show Live Champions League football on TV in the UK.

Amazon Prime Video have the first pick of matches on Tuesday evenings, and TNT Sports have the right to show every other game from the 2024/25 Champions League, including the 2025 UEFA Champions League final on TV.