The second of two UEFA Champions League matches kicks off tomorrow from the United Kingdom when Arsenal welcomes AS Monaco to Emirates Stadium. The Round of 16 clash is certain to be a classic as both teams are top four in their respective leagues and are two of the top teams overall in Europe.
Injuries plagued Monaco early in the season, but they have since returned to form thanks to their manager Leonardo Jardim. Jardim brings a defensive mindset to the French squad and Le Rouges et Blancs responded in group play as they only surrendered a single goal.
Jeremy Toulalan is the midfielder that is a game changer for Monaco, but he will miss the match due to suspension and his loss could be the difference in the outcome on the pitch on Wednesday.
Arsenal will have some players missing off their staring XI as well, but they come into the match healthier than Monaco. They too have returned to form in recent weeks and have reached third place in the English Premier League standings. Mesut Ozil leads the way for the Gunners and should be able to get the ball to his talented forwards in front of the net.
We don’t expect AS Monaco to roll over and play dead for Arsenal, but we do think the level of talent on each team coming into the match is skewed heavily in favor of the English side. Look for Arsenal to score within the first 20 minutes and only pile on from there.
Prediction: 3-0 Arsenal
The game kicks off at 2:45 PM EST on Wednesday February 25th from Emirates Stadium in London, England. It will air live on Fox Sports 1 and can be streamed online here. If you prefer to watch the game on your phone, you can download the Fox Sports Go app.
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