Monaco v Atlético facts

Somewhat surprisingly for two teams of considerable European pedigree, this is a first meeting for Monaco and Atlético Madrid, and each will be keen to hit the ground running in Group A.

• The sides both suffered early exits from last season's UEFA Champions League, although for Atlético there was considerable consolation as they went on to win the UEFA Europa League for the third time in nine years. Monaco, meanwhile, bowed out of Europe altogether at the conclusion of the group stage having finished bottom of a section including Beşiktaş, Porto and RB Leipzig.

Form guide
Monaco
• Second in Ligue 1 last season, Monaco reached the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League semi-finals but finished bottom of their group last season having collected two points from their six games.

• Monaco are without a win in eight European games (D2 L6), since a 3-1 home victory against Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final second leg in April 2017.

• The French side have won their last three matches against Spanish Liga opposition, including away (2-1) and home (1-0) victories against Villarreal in the 2016/17 play-offs.

• Monaco have lost only once at home to Spanish visitors, and are unbeaten in their last seven such encounters (W6 D1).

• Runners-up in 2004, Monaco remain the last French team to reach the UEFA Champions League final.

Atlético
• UEFA Champions League finalists in 2014 and 2016, and semi-finalists two seasons ago, Atlético won only one game in the 2017/18 competition, drawing four to finish behind Roma and Chelsea in their section.

• However, Los Rojiblancos then moved into the UEFA Europa League, winning their first five matches and losing only one of nine overall as they defeated Marseille 3-0 in the Lyon final.

• Atlético have won their last two matches against French clubs, and have lost only one of their 13 fixtures against Ligue 1 sides. They are unbeaten in their last five such fixtures (W3 D2).

• Diego Simeone's side have already lifted European silverware this season, beating Real Madrid 4-2 in August's UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn – making them the first team to win the competition on their first three appearances.

• Atlético have therefore won their last three European games, and have lost only one of their last 14 matches in continental competition (W9 D4).

• The Rojiblancos have reached two UEFA Champions League and three UEFA Europa League finals in the last nine seasons.

Links and trivia
• Thomas Lemar joined Atlético from Monaco this summer having made 90 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, scoring 16 goals. He was part of the side that lifted the French title and reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2016/17.

• Radamel Falcao scored 52 goals in 68 matches for Atlético between 2011 and 2013, including two in the 2012 UEFA Europa League final victory against Athletic Club, and also featured in the 2013 Copa del Rey final win against Real Madrid.

• Antoine Griezmann scored past Danijel Subasić in France's 4-2 defeat of Croatia in the FIFA World Cup final in July; Atlético's Lucas Hernández was also in the France team, with Djibril Sidibé of Monaco and Lemar unused substitutes.

• Aleksandr Golovin helped Russia beat a Spain side featuring Koke and Diego Costa in the World Cup round of 16, scoring in the hosts' shoot-out victory.

• Falcao scored in both Porto's games against Atlético in the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League group stage.

• Have played in Spain:
Stevan Jovetić (Sevilla, 2016/17)
Jordi Mboula (Barcelona B, 2016/17)

• Have played together:
Danijel Subasić & Nikola Kalinić (Hadjuk Split, 2008/09)
Stevan Jovetić & Stefan Savić (Fiorentina, 2012/13)
Stevan Jovetić & Vitolo (Sevilla, 2016/17)

• International team-mates:
Djibril Sidibé & Thomas Lemar, Lucas Hernández, Antoine Griezmann (France)
Danijel Subasić & Nikola Kalinić (Croatia)
Rony Lopes & Gelson Martins (Portugal)
Radamel Falcao & Santiago Arias (Colombia)
Stevan Jovetić & Stefan Savić (Montenegro)
Jemerson & Filipe Luís (Brazil)

Latest news

Monaco
• Summer transfers
In: Samuel Grandsir (Troyes), Willem Geubbels (Lyon)*, Wilson Isidor (Rennes)*, Sofiane Diop (Rennes), Robert Navarro (Barcelona)*, Pelé (Rio Ave)*, Jonathan Panzo (Chelsea)*, Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel (St-Étienne)*, Antonio Barreca (Torino), Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moskva), Jean-Eudes Aholou (Strasbourg), Benjamin Henrichs (Leverkusen), Nacer Chadli (West Brom)
Out: Fabinho (Liverpool), Terence Kongolo (Huddersfield), Adama Diakhaby (Huddersfield Town), João Moutinho (Wolves), Adrien Bongiovanni (Cercle Brugge), Thomas Lemar (Atlético), Soualiho Meïté (Torino), Rachid Ghezzal (Leicester), Boschilia (Nantes, loan), Keita Baldé (Inter, loan), Jorge (Porto, loan)
*Not in UEFA Champions League squad

• Monaco were beaten 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Trophée des Champions on 4 August.

• Monaco have won only one of their six matches this season, the 3-1 success at Nantes on the opening day of Ligue 1 on 11 August. They have lost three, including two in a row before Saturday's 1-1 draw at Toulouse.

• Having not scored in 27 Ligue 1 appearances in 2017/18, Youri Tielemans has two goals in five matches in the current campaign, scoring in each of the last two.

• Djibril Sidibé was part of the victorious France squad at this summer's FIFA World Cup, playing one game in Russia.

• Tielemans made four appearances for Belgium at the World Cup, including the 2-0 defeat of England in the third-placed play-off.

• Radamel Falcao was on target in Colombia's 2-1 friendly win against Venezuela on 8 September.

Atlético de Madrid
Summer transfers
• In: Rodri (Villarreal), Antonio Adán (Betis), Nehuén Pérez (Argentinos Juniors)*, Gelson Martins (free), Jonny Castro (Celta)*, Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Santiago Arias (PSV), Nikola Kalinić (Milan)
Out: Fernando Torres (end of contract), Gabi Fernández (al-Sadd), Axel Werner (Huesca, loan), Emiliano Velázquez (Rayo Vallecano), Jonny Castro (Wolves, loan), Nehuén Pérez (Argentinos Juniors, loan), Šime Vrsaljko (Internazionale Milano, loan), André Moreira (Aston Villa, loan), Luciano Vietto (Fulham), Kevin Gameiro (Valencia)
*Not in UEFA Champions League squad

• Koke's next appearance in the UEFA Champions League will be his 50th.

• Diego Costa scored twice in Atlético's 4-2 extra-time defeat of Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn on 15 August. Saúl Ñíguez and Koke were also on target, Lemar making his first Atlético appearance.

• Five points from four matches this season represents Atlético's worst start to a Liga campaign under Diego Simeone. They were held 1-1 at home by Eibar on Saturday, and only escaped defeat thanks to an added-time equaliser from 19-year-old substitute Borja Garcés.

• Saúl scored his first international goal in Spain's 2-1 victory against England at Wembley in the UEFA Nations League on 8 September. Three days later, he opened the scoring in a 6-0 defeat of Croatia in his home town of Elche.

• Stefan Savić scored for Montenegro against Lithuania in the UEFA Nations League while José María Giménez was on target as Uruguay beat Mexico 4-1 in a friendly.

• Antoine Griezmann scored four times in seven appearances – including a penalty in the final defeat of Croatia – as France won the FIFA World Cup this summer. Lucas Hernández also played in every game, with Lemar featuring once.

• Vitolo sprained a knee in the 1-1 draw at Valencia on 20 August and has not played since.

• Nikola Kalinić (ankle), and Santi Arias (fractured rib) have also been sidelined. Juanfran (muscle) returned to face Eibar, although Lucas Hernández had to be taken to hospital on the eve of the game with severe abdominal pains.