Get Arsenal at 3/1 to beat Monaco tonight
Monaco will be out to show their European credentials when they travel to the Emirates to take on in-form Arsenal.
The French outfit, like their midweek hosts are out of the running for the title, currently sitting fourth in the French league, 11 points off the pace, however they impressed in the group stages, topping group C ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, Zenith and Benfica.
Get Arsenal at3/1 to beat Monaco! (was 1/2):
Monaco have strong links to London in their line-up with former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, injured for Wednesday, and Dimitar Berbatov, once of Spurs and Fulham in their line-up.
According to Berbatov, that experience has been crucial in the preparation for the game, telling reporters “We know it is going to be a difficult game”
“We will be the underdogs, but we came for a good result, have prepared well and hopefully we can achieve it. I spent a couple of years here and have told my team-mates this will be a tough game.
“They are a team who work a lot of passes, try to play the combinations, football the way it should be played. They play on the counter with quick players and very technical.
“Maybe this will be new for some of my team-mates, but I have explained to them that it will be difficult, so they need to do their homework, and our coach will prepare us for the game.
“Hopefully we can do what we came here to do.”
In addition to being without Carvalho, Monaco will also be without the suspended Joao Moutinho and injured pair Tiemoue Bakayoko and Andrea Raggi while Yannick Carrasco (thigh) and France defender Layvin Kurzawa (bruised quadriceps) are doubts.
Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of David Ospina with Wojciech Szczesny poised to return while Aaron Ramsey (hamstring), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin), Mikel Arteta (ankle) and Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder) are all missing through injury.
Arsenal finished second in their group behind Borussia Dortmund.
