Can Monaco Knock Manchester City Out Of The UCL?

It was supposed to be a walk in the park for the Merengues. They had won the Champions League quarterfinal first leg, 4-2, at home. They were superior technically and in terms of experience to this really offensive, but yet still young, Monaco side coached by Didier Deschamps.

Let’s be honest, not many people believed the team from the Principality could do it. Even less after Raul, thanks to some great work by Ronaldo, beat Flavio Roma after just 36 minutes. But Ludovic Giuly scored twice (the second one with a genius back heel) and Fernando Morientes added another against his former club to turn the tie around and put Monaco through in a incredible atmosphere (by Monaco’s standards). It remains to this date one of the biggest, if not the biggest, exploits realised by the club in Europe.

Another moment of history awaits Monaco on Wednesday evening at the Stade Louis II. Almost 13 years later, they have another date with destiny. This time, they face only one Galactico in Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager. There will be no Zidane, no Figo, no Ronaldo.

There will be no Ballon d’Or winner in the opposition, but there will still be a two-goal deficit after the first leg. Monaco lost 5-3 in England after an incredible match that saw them lead twice. It was champagne football, breathtaking offensive stuff with panache and flair, but they ran out of steam. Leonardo Jardim, Monaco’s manager, had — for the first time this season — a poor game in terms of tactical decisions.

This time, they can’t be tired, can’t make any mistakes individually and can’t get anything wrong or they will be punished again. Don’t expect them to be patient and change their game though. They can only play one way: Forward, and quickly too. Their 4-4-2 formation has no equivalent in Europe. Neither does their goal-scoring machine: 123 goals scored already in all competitions this season; no one has done better.

In Kylian Mbappe, Monaco have in their ranks a future Ballon d’Or winner, the next big thing in world football. The prodigy striker turned 18 in December and has been making defenders and sporting directors’ heads spin since the turn of the year. Seven goals in his last four starts in all competitions and this feeling of awesomeness that you rarely see at such a young age. Mbappe plays like if he was still playing down his block of flats in the north suburbs of Paris with his mates — with the same fun, the same insouciance.

For his first-ever Champions League start at City in the first leg, he stunned those who hadn’t heard of him yet with a special performance. When you add a reborn Radamel Falcao, who scored one of the goals of the season in the first game, and the ever-so-gifted Bernardo Silva and Thomas Lemar on each wing, you obtain a wonderful front four.

However, this 4-4-2 formation too often exposes Monaco defensively. This happens because their two defensive midfielders get overrun, the two full-backs are too attacking-minded, and the two centre-halves are often not protected enough. That was the case in the first leg. Jardim will have to be better tactically this time around or Guardiola will take advantage of it again.

Kamil Glik, Monaco’s best defender this season, is suspended, which is a huge blow. That might make it an even more wonderful offensive battle, as again goals will pour. This game is huge for Monaco because now they need to turn their wonderful performances into meaningful results and, eventually, trophies. The season’s money time is pretty much here, and Monaco have too much talent to miss it. It would be a disappointment to be knocked out by City on Wednesday, and that could have a psychological impact on their domestic treble race with PSG.

After the Parisians’ debacle at the Camp Nou last week, and before Lyon’s gladiators fight with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday (4-2 for the French after the first leg), Monaco are defending the good name of French football in Europe. They actually made French football proud in the first leg, despite the defeat. They can make it even prouder with another special comeback to qualify, just like they did in 2004.