Preview: Monaco v Zenit
Monday, December 8, 2014
Article summary
It is all or nothing, "the biggest game of the year" according to Leonardo Jardim. A draw will see AS Monaco FC through; lose and FC Zenit advance at their expense.
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Article body
• Either Monaco or Zenit will join Leverkusen in the round of 16
• Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim: "Most important game of the year"
• Both coaches praise Dimitar Berbatov, scorer of three in two games
• ASM have scored twice – no team has ever advanced with fewer than three goals
• Zenit have conceded just once in their last five matches
Permutations: Monaco (8pts) v Zenit (7)
• Monaco will be through with a draw, and in that case would finish top if Leverkusen lose. They also finish first with a win if Leverkusen do not gain victory.
• Zenit will progress with a win, and in that case would finish top if Leverkusen lose.
Possible lineups
Monaco: Subašić; Fabinho, Abdennour, Toulalan, Raggi; Moutinho, Bakayoko, Ocampos, Ferreira-Carrasco; Berbatov, Germain.
• Out: Carvalho (suspended), Kondogbia (thigh) Kurzawa (hamstring)
Zenit: Lodygin; Smolnikov, Garay, Lombaerts, Criscito; Witsel, Javi García; Fayzulin, Shatov, Danny; Hulk.
• Out: Kerzhakov (foot)
Leonardo Jardim, Monaco coach
The most important thing is to qualify and on Tuesday we have that opportunity. The game is very important. Qualifying would be a great thing for the club, for the staff, for our supporters, for Monaco and also for French football – it is not often we have two French clubs through to the knockout stage.
Dimitar Berbatov is in good form and tomorrow he will help us win the game. In August nobody saw us getting through and now we go into matchday six able to even win the group. Playing in the Champions League is very important and tomorrow is the most important game of the year.
Zenit will play their game, they will try to attack. They are a quality team with good individual talents, very strong. We have a lot of respect for Zenit but our ambition is to qualify.
André Villas-Boas, Zenit coach
We saw after the Benfica match that we had to win. We have no choice, this game is a must win. Monaco are a good team, very clever, they proved that they can handle these kind of games. As for us, we have to know when to attack and find space in order to score goals.
Monaco are in good form. They won at Leverkusen which is difficult to do. They kept the ball well. Of course they have only scored two goals in this competition but that is not typical of them. Monaco have great ambition. Berbatov is an extraordinary player, very difficult to mark. He has a lot of quality, both scoring and in the build-up.
Leonardo Jardim has always had very balanced and very well-organised teams, it is never easy to play against them. We will have to play cleverly. Tomorrow is our last game before the winter break, but we have one last effort to make tomorrow. Our ambition is to go through.
Weekend results
Toulouse FC 0-2 Monaco (Berbatov 45 77pen)
Zenit 4-0 FC Krasnodar (Garay 11, Witsel 55, Danny 62, Smolnikov 68)
Form guide (all competitions)
Monaco: WWLWDD
Zenit: WWLWWL
Match facts
• How many times have Zenit won in France in four visits? Find out in our match background.