Monaco vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2023-02-22 17:45.
The UEFA Europa League (UEL) knockout round play-offs served up some blockbuster encounters in the first-leg, none more so than the highest scoring affair of them all, which now sees Monaco bring a 3-2 aggregate lead back to the Stade Louis II as they look to close the show against Bayer Leverkusen. Monaco will feel they’re firmly in the driver's seat to do just that, and history would certainly back that up given they’ve successfully progressed from all ten of their two-legged knockout ties in major European competition when winning the first-leg on the road!
Manager Philippe Clement will know simply avoiding defeat will get the job done here, something he’ll be confident in achieving considering his team are currently riding an eight-game unbeaten streak in all competitions (W6, D2). The Red and Whites can also lean upon an impressive record against Leverkusen, with just one defeat in seven previous encounters (W4, D2) surely boosting confidence that the last-16 awaits.
Leverkusen saw their first-leg woes compounded in the weekend’s Bundesliga action, where another 3-2 defeat, this time at the hands of Mainz, made it four losses from their last five matches (W1). The odds are therefore stacked against Xabi Alonso’s men here, especially since they’ve failed to overturn a first-leg home defeat in a two-legged knockout round tie of any major European competition in all 11 prior attempts.
On the upside, the Eternal Bridesmaids have enjoyed some success on the road recently by winning three of their last four away matches (L1), although failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 such games will be a worry given they already start this game at an aggregate disadvantage. Their record at this stage of major European competitions doesn’t make for pretty reading either, with seven of Leverkusen’s last ten continental trips to the knockout rounds ending at the first hurdle.
Players to watch: Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder has scored an impressive 13 of his last 16 club goals before half-time while teenage prodigy Florian Wirtz will be looking to make an impact after scoring in the first-leg, with that being only the second time Leverkusen have lost in his last 19 goalscoring appearances (W16, D1).
Hot stat: Monaco have seen a scoreless first-half in only two of their last 12 matches.