Monaco and Leipzig face must-win showdown

AS Monaco FC and RB Leipzig put their UEFA Champions League aspirations on the line as they meet in the penultimate round of matches.

• The sides opened Group G with a 1-1 draw in Germany on matchday one, Leipzig's European debut, with Emil Forsberg scoring their maiden goal. Monaco have added only one point to their total in the three subsequent fixtures and are fourth in the standings, while Leipzig are one place and two points better off having won one and lost two since that Monaco draw.

• Leipzig will be out of contention for a top-two finish if they do not win and FC Porto (six points) do away to Beşiktaş JK (ten points).

• Monaco must win and hope Porto do not to stay in contention for a top-two finish. They will be confirmed in fourth if they lose.

Match background

Monaco
• Monaco faced German opposition twice at home in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League, a 1-1 draw with Germany's Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the group stage and a 3-1 defeat of Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final second leg (6-3 on aggregate).

• Overall, Monaco's record at home to Bundesliga clubs is W5 D3 L1; the sole blemish was a 1-0 reverse to VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup second round (a result which completed a 4-3 aggregate success). They have won five of the last six such encounters.

• Having been unbeaten in seven European home matches (W6 D1), Monaco have lost the last three, going down 3-0 against Porto and 2-1 to Beşiktaş in this season's group stage. They picked up seven points at home in the 2016/17 group stage.

• Monaco have nevertheless lost only four of their last 16 European home games (W9 D3).

• Monaco are in their eighth group stage campaign. Finalists in 2004, they got to the semis in 1994, 1998 and 2017.

• The principality outfit had another memorable European season in 2016/17, knocking out Manchester City FC and Borussia Dortmund en route to the last four. There they succumbed 4-1 on aggregate to Juventus (0-2 home, 1-2 away).

Leipzig
• This is Leipzig's first visit to France.

• Away from home in their debut European campaign, the German club have lost both games: 2-0 at Beşiktaş and 3-1 at Porto.

• Leipzig qualified for a first foray into European competition by finishing second in the 2016/17 Bundesliga – in what, remarkably, was their first season in the German top flight.

• Leipzig are the 12th club to represent Germany in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

• On matchday one, the German side became the first team from any country to make their European debut in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Coach and player links
• Guido Carrillo scored in Monaco's 3-1 first-leg success over Yvon Mvogo's BSC Young Boys in the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

• Fabinho scored in Monaco's 2-0 Ligue 1 win against a Paris side including Jean-Kévin Augustin in March 2016.

• Portugal's João Moutinho was player of the match in a 0-0 draw with Stefan Ilsanker's Austria in the UEFA EURO 2016 group stage.

• On 8 October 2016, Yussuf Poulsen and Poland's Kamil Glik (own goal) both scored for Denmark in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier – but Poland still prevailed 3-2.

• International team-mates:
Rony Lopes & Bruma (Portugal)

• Have played in France:
Jean-Kévin Augustin (Paris Saint-Germain, 2009–15)
Naby Keïta (FC Istres, 2013/14)
Dayot Upamecano (Valenciennes FC, 2014/15)

• Has played in Germany:
Diego Benaglio (VfB Stuttgart, 2002–05; VfL Wolfsburg, 2007–17)

Match facts

Monaco
• Adama Diakhaby and Djibril Sidibé are both a booking away from a ban.

• Monaco claimed their biggest win of 2017 on 4 November as they overwhelmed EA Guingamp 6-0.

• Falcao has 16 goals in 18 appearances for club and country this season (13 in 10 in the league).

• Danijel Subašić played 180 minutes as Croatia beat Greece 4-1 on aggregate in the FIFA World Cup play-offs.

• Jemerson made his first senior start for Brazil in a 3-1 friendly victory over Japan in Lille on 10 November.

• Rony Lopes made his Portugal debut as a substitute in the 14 November friendly against the United States.

• Falcao is on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or. The winner will be announced on 6 December.

Leipzig 
• Marcel Halstenberg and Willi Orban are both a booking away from a ban.

• Leipzig have lost five of their ten away matches in all competitions this season.

• In the Bundesliga, Leipzig have recorded three wins this season after falling behind.

• Emil Forsberg played every minute of both legs to help Sweden reach the World Cup finals by beating Italy 1-0 on aggregate in the play-offs.

• Yussuf Poulsen played in both games for Denmark as they reached the World Cup finals with a 5-1 aggregate win against the Republic of Ireland in their play-off.

• Bruma made his debut for Portugal as a 75th-minute substitute in a 3-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on 10 November. Four days later, he made his first start in the 1-1 draw against the United States.

• Halstenberg also made his international debut on the same day, playing the full game as Germany drew 0-0 away to England.

• Timo Werner was on target for Germany in a 2-2 draw against France on 14 November. He has scored seven goals in his last seven games for his country.

• Jean-Kévin Augustin had been sidelined with muscular problems in his thigh since matchday four but came off the bench in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Bayer 04 Leverkusen.