Benfica v Monaco background

A first point for SL Benfica and AS Monaco FC's fall from Group C's top spot were the consequences of the goalless draw on matchday three. They renew rivalry in Lisbon both seeking an improved result.

• It proved a frustrating night at the Stade Louis II for Benfica, who were kept at bay by Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subašić and had Lisandro López sent off late on. 

Match background

Benfica
•Benfica concluded last season's group campaign by beating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in Lisbon through a Lima penalty and Nicolás Gaitán's effort, although they could still only finish third in their section. They had lost 3-0 away on matchday two.

• That made it five wins in their last seven fixtures against Ligue 1 opposition, before matchday three's fixture at Monaco. Overall their record is W13 D7 L7 (W6 D4 L0 at home).

• Benfica lost to FC Zenit (0-2) and Bayer 04 Leverkusen (1-3) before the draw with Monaco. The matchday one reverse was their first in 13 European home encounters (W11 D2) since a 2-0 loss to FC Barcelona in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League group stage.

• The Portuguese champions – European Champion Clubs' Cup winners in 1961 and 1962 – are in their tenth UEFA Champions League group stage campaign. However, in only one of their last six campaigns (2011/12) have they qualified for the knockout rounds.

• In the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League, the Eagles reached the final for the second successive season, drawing 0-0 with Sevilla FC in Turin but losing 4-2 on penalties.

Monaco
• Prior to matchday three, Monaco had not faced a Portuguese side since the 2004 UEFA Champions League final, which they lost 3-0 to FC Porto.

• They met Sporting Clube de Portugal in the 1997/98 group stage (losing 3-0 away) and CF Os Belenenses in the 1989/90 European Cup Winners' Cup first round (drawing 1-1 away).

• The French club's record against sides from Portugal is W2 D2 L2.

• On matchday one João Moutinho's goal gave Monaco a 1-0 victory over Leverkusen; two weeks later they drew 0-0 at Zenit.

• This is Monaco's sixth group stage campaign and their first since 2004/05, when they reached the round of 16.

• Last season's Ligue 1 runners-up are back in European competition after an absence of nine years.

Coach and player links
• Bernardo Silva enrolled in the Benfica youth system at 13. After seven years there he was loaned to Monaco this season.

• Dimitar Berbatov scored in Manchester United FC's 2-2 home draw against Benfica in the 2011/12 group stage.

• Moutinho, Rúben Amorim and André Almeida were part of the Portugal squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

• Maxi Pereira, Luisão and Amorim started for a Benfica team who beat Moutinho's Sporting in the 2008/09 Portuguese League Cup final.

• Moutinho scored in Porto's 3-1 win over Benfica in the 2010/11 Portuguese Cup semi-final second leg.

• While with Porto, Moutinho played ten times against Benfica (W6 D2 L2). At Sporting he played 15 more times against Benfica (W4 D6 L5).

• In three and a half seasons with SC Braga, Elderson lost all three league games against Benfica but had the satisfaction of scoring in one of them.

• Former team-mates: Nélson Oliveira and Thiémoué Bakayoko (Stade Rennais FC, 2013/14); Tiago and Berbatov (Manchester United, 2010/11).

Match facts

Benfica
• Lisandro begins a one-game suspension following his red card on matchday three. Eduardo Salvio is a booking away from a ban.

• Having drawn in Monaco, Benfica suffered their first Liga defeat of the campaign on 26 October, 2-1 at Braga.

• Talisca then struck for the fourth successive Liga match as Benfica beat Rio Ave FC, the team they overcame in both domestic cup finals last season, 1-0 at home on Friday.

• Recovered from a back injury, Júlio César made his first appearance since matchday two.

• Benfica have scored in 73 consecutive league fixtures, since a 1-0 loss to Sporting on 9 April 2012.

• Pacesetters Benfica, who completed the clean sweep of domestic trophies in 2014, have 22 points from nine league games. They were third with 20 points at the same stage last term.

• Eliseu (left foot), Ola John (left thigh) and Jardel (left thigh) missed the match against Rio Ave. Sílvio (tibia and fibula fracture) is a long-term absentee.

• Amorim was left out of Benfica's UEFA Champions League squad after suffering knee ligament damage in the 1-0 win at Boavista FC on 24 August.

Monaco
• Layvin Kurzawa and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco are both a yellow card away from a suspension after being booked on matchdays one and three.

• Leonardo Jardim's men extended their unbeaten run to six games on Friday with a 1-1 home draw against Stade de Reims. Elderson opened the scoring with his first league goal since 1 April 2013.

• Nabil Dirar (calf), Kurzawa (calf), Berbatov (groin) and Borja Lopez (knee) were unavailable. Moutinho, who had been suffering from a minor shoulder problem, came on in the second half.

• Monaco have won just six of their 15 matches this season in all competitions.

• The principality side have 18 points from 12 Ligue 1 fixtures in 2014/15, seven fewer than at the same stage a year ago.

• Monaco triumphed 3-1 at SC Bastia on 25 October, Geoffrey Kondogbia among the scorers with his first club goal of the season.

• Borja López (knee) has yet to play this term.