Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain are looking to reach the Round of 16.
However, Luis Enrique’s men still have to get past AS Monaco in the play-off round, though the Parisians are 3-2 up after an enthralling first leg.
Most people are tipping the second stanza at the Parc des Princes to be a walk in the park for the Ligue 1 champions, but write Monaco off at your own peril.
It should be a fascinating all-French clash, and here is our full preview for PSG vs Monaco, complete with some sports betting tips based on the latest Champions League odds.
PSG vs Monaco Preview
Monaco were in dreamland during the early stages of last week’s first leg after storming into a 2-0 lead, thanks to an 18-minute brace from Folarin Balogun.
But things quickly turned sour for the principality club, with strikes from Desire Doue and Achraf Hakimi levelling the scores at 2-2 just before the break.
Monaco midfielder Alexander Golovin was then shown a red card shortly after the interval, before Doue made it 3-2 in the 67th minute.
So PSG have one foot firmly in the next round, and Enrique’s men cruised to a 3-0 victory over Metz on the weekend, with Doue on the scoresheet once again.
It means PSG have now scored eight goals without conceding in their last two home matches after the 5-0 win over rivals Marseille at the start of the month.
Monaco won’t be fazed by a trip to the Parc des Princes, though, and their latest adventure to the capital comes shortly after a huge 3-2 win at title-chasing Lens.
Sebastien Pocognoli’s men fell 2-0 behind, but second-half goals from Balogun, Denis Zakaria and Ansu Fati secured an unlikely victory.
So confidence in the ranks should not be an issue, which is quite simply a must ahead of a match against PSG – who could also be missing two key players in Ballon d’Or winner Ousmame Dembele and midfield lynchpin Fabian Ruiz.
And lest we forget, Monaco beat PSG 1-0 back in November, while the Parisians have won just one of their last three Champions League home matches, the 5-3 win over Tottenham sandwiched between a 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich and a 1-1 draw with Newcastle.
However, Monaco’s last away game in this competition saw them lose 6-1 at Real Madrid. Ouch.
PSG vs Monaco Odds
*All odds are subject to change
PSG are clear favourites to claim the win here, priced as low as 1.26. An unlikely victory for Monaco is at odds of 8.60, while the draw is 6.40.
PSG vs Monaco Betting Tips
Player to score or assist – Vitinha @ 2.27
Vitinha’s stats in this season’s Champions League are quite remarkable. The Portuguese midfielder has five goals and one assist from nine appearances, with four of those goals coming in the last two European home games vs Spurs and Newcastle. So at a price better than evens, this looks a fabulous selection.
Paris Saint-Germain first goalscorer – Desire Doue @ 5.20
Doue has scored PSG’s first goal in each of their last two games after a third-minute opener against Metz. The young star left the field early, but is expected to be fine to feature from the off here. As such, we are taking a calculated risk with this market, as the odds on offer are so good!
Folarin Balogun to have over 0.5 shots on target @ 1.62
With three goals in a matter of days, Balogun is a man in form, so betting on him to have just one shot on target feels like a no-brainer really. We are a tad shocked to see just how good the price is here, and perhaps more surprisingly, he is at odds of 5.60 to score anytime. That selection could also be worth a punt…
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.