AS Monaco’s hopes of advancing to the next round of the UEFA Champions League have suffered a significant blow, as the team prepares to head to Lisbon next week with a depleted squad.
The Principality club, already trailing Benfica 1-0 from the first leg at the Stade Louis II, will be without several key players due to suspensions and injuries.
Manager Adi Hütter confirmed on Friday that midfielder Soungoutou Magassa suffered a facial fracture during Wednesday’s match and will not be available for the return leg.
The France youth international sustained the injury late in the game and has also been placed under concussion protocol, ruling him out of Monaco’s upcoming Ligue 1 fixture against FC Nantes on Saturday.
Magassa was already suspended for the domestic clash, but the injury now extends his absence beyond that.
Adding to Monaco’s woes, influential playmaker Aleksandr Golovin has been ruled out with an adductor injury. The Russian international, a key figure in Monaco’s attacking setup, will miss both the Nantes game and the crucial second leg in Portugal.
His absence further limits Hütter’s midfield options, leaving the team with only one available first-team midfielder, Lamine Camara, for the Benfica encounter.
Squad Depletion Worsens Monaco’s Challenge
Monaco were already facing an uphill battle after suffering a narrow defeat to Benfica in the first leg.
Goalscoring opportunities were few and far between in that match, and the absence of Golovin—one of the club’s most creative players—will only make breaking down Benfica’s defense even more challenging.
Additionally, Monaco are without Denis Zakaria, Vanderson, and Moatasem Al-Musrati due to suspension, further thinning their squad depth.
Zakaria, a key presence in midfield, and Vanderson, an important asset on the right flank, will be sorely missed in a match where defensive discipline and attacking ingenuity will be crucial.
Monaco’s attacking setup will now depend on other creative players stepping up in Golovin’s absence.
Captain Wissam Ben Yedder and forward Takumi Minamino are expected to shoulder a greater share of the attacking responsibility, while Youssouf Fofana may be required to drop deeper in midfield to compensate for the lack of options in the center of the pitch.
Hütter’s Tactical Dilemma
Hütter now faces a major tactical headache as he prepares his squad for both the domestic fixture against Nantes and the high-stakes return leg against Benfica.
With limited midfield options, the Monaco boss may have to adjust his usual approach, potentially altering formations to compensate for the missing personnel.
The Austrian coach will likely have to rely on younger players or reserve options to fill in the gaps. However, with Benfica in strong form and playing at home, the challenge of overturning a one-goal deficit has become even more daunting.
Monaco’s chances of progressing now appear increasingly slim, but the team will need to rally around the resources they still have available.
Overcoming adversity is part of football, and should they manage to stage a comeback in Lisbon, it would rank as one of their most impressive feats in recent European campaigns.
Leave a Comment