Stakes High for AS Monaco, Shakhtar Donetsk

The UEFA Champions League Group Stage is still missing several teams. Not for long, though. AS Monaco and Shakhtar Donetsk are part of the 12 teams that will compete in the Playoff series and will square off on Tuesday afternoon. All winners will advance while the losers will go to the UEFA Europa League.

AS Monaco is looking to return to the Group Stage after missing it the last two seasons. Shakhtar has played it the last four seasons in a row. Let’s look at the latest news, stats, injury reports and the UCL Odds for Monaco vs Shakhtar. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.

Game: AS Monaco vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Location: Stade Louis II, Monaco

Time: Tuesday, 3 p.m. ET

Television: beIN Sports

Live Stream: fuboTV

UEFA Champions League Qualification Betting Lines

Head to Head

• Previous Matches: 2
• AS Monaco Victories: 1 (3 goals)
• Shakhtar Donetsk Victories: 1 (2 goals)
• Draws: 0

AS Monaco and Shakhtar Donetsk haven’t met since the 1979-80 season. It was also in a UEFA competition, and the home team always took the W. Shakhtar won the first leg 2-1, but Monaco was able to turn things around with a 2-0 victory in the second leg.

Overall, Monaco owns a 2-1-1 record over Ukrainian teams, four goals for and two against. On the other hand, Shakhtar owns a 7-4-4 against French teams, 20 goals for and 16 against.

Why Bet on AS Monaco?

AS Monaco didn’t start the Ligue 1 season on the right foot. They still deserve to be the sports betting favorite here, as they’re focused on getting into the UCL Group Stage.

Despite not having won yet domestically (0-1-1), playing more competitive matches has helped them to get back on track physically. Most recently, they drew 1-1 with Nantes and lost 1-0 to Lorient. Several usual starters got some rest.

“A point after two games is not what we expected, but we are not tired because we are well prepared. There is enough quality in the team. We must accept it and recover well because we have another important game on Tuesday against Shakhtar,” said manager Niko Kovac after their last game.

Monaco has a very good roster, including Kevin Volland, Gelson Martins, Cesc Fabregas and Wissam Ben Yedder. Last season, Ben Yedder and Volland finished among the top-five Ligue 1 scorers with 20 and 16 goals.

In the third UCL qualifying round, they defeated Sparta Praha with a 5-1 aggregate. They won both games with Volland as the star.

Aleksandr Golovin and Jean Marcelin are questionable due to injury. Their expected lineup is Benjamin Lecomte; Djibril Sidibe, Guillermo Maripan, Benoit Badiashile, Caio Henrique; Krepin Diatta, Youssouf Fofana, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jean Lucas; Wissam Ben Yedder, Kevin Volland.

Why Bet on Shakhtar Donetsk?

Shakhtar Donetsk started the Ukrainian Premier League season with a 3-0-1 record. They scored eight goals while allowing only three in four games. We’re talking about a team with a new manager, but that hasn’t stopped them from imposing their style.

Most recently, they defeated Metalist 1925 (2-0). Individually, you should keep an eye on Lassina Traore, who has scored three goals.

In the previous UCL qualifying round, Shakhtar had no problem beating KRC Genk. They won both games 2-1, just as we predicted, for a 4-2 aggregate. Traore also scored one of those goals.

Shakhtar’s chemistry is greatly benefited by the fact that they have a lot of Brazilian players in the roster. That also influences their mentality since Brazilian players like to attack more than defend.

Junior Moraes, Valery Bondar and Pedrinho are out due to injury. Their expected lineup is Anatoli Trubin; Dodo, Marlon, Vitao, Mykola Matviyenko; Marcos Antonio, Manor Solomon, Maycon, Mateus Martins, Dentinho; Lassina Traore.

Final Analysis, Predictions

With the away-goal rule eliminated, AS Monaco must go all-in from the start. Getting a comfortable advantage, it’s essential to play with less pressure in Ukraine, where Shakhtar is very strong.

Both are offensive teams, which is why I expect both sides to score in a fast-paced match. Don’t forget to check the Soccer Props to increase your winning chances. Take a shot on the correct score, half time/full time winner, and more.

Score Prediction: AS Monaco 2, Shakhtar Donetsk 1

Pick: Over 2½ goals (-130)