PSV (Ned) vs Monaco (Fra) prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Qualification betting tips on match 2022-08-08 18:30.
Neither PSV or Monaco have reached the UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stages since 2018/19, but that round of the competition is looming large as they meet in Eindhoven for the second leg of their third round qualifier. With the away goals rule no longer in place, it really is all to play for after a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture last week.
The Dutch side led for 41 minutes at Stade Louis II, only for Axel Disasi to net an 80th minute equaliser. Newly appointed PSV boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has still enjoyed a strong start to life as the club’s manager though, winning the Super Cup in his first game in charge by beating Ajax 5-3, before kicking off the Eredivisie with a 4-1 win over Emmen.
The H2H record between these two is tantilisingly poised, with each side registering a couple of wins to go with three draws. Monaco were successful on their last trip to The Philips Stadion which was just last season, when they grabbed a 2-1 victory at the death thanks to Sofiane Diop in the Europa League group stages.
Philippe Clement’s side also got their domestic season off to a winning start at the weekend, beating Strasbourg 2-1. However, their recent away record in European competition is worrying, managing just two victories from 13 games since the 2016/17 UCL – a season when they reached the semi-final before losing to eventual runners-up Juventus.
Players to watch: PSV's Cody Gakpo, who is being linked with a move to Manchester United, scored seven times in Europe last year. Six of those strikes were on home soil, including in that 2-1 defeat to Monaco. Meanwhile, Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder, rested by Clement at the weekend, has netted 14 times in 21 previous UCL appearances and has never lost in three games against PSV.
Hot stat: PSV have only won nine of their 35 matches against French opposition (D15, L11), including just three of their last 13 (D5, L5)