The Champions League is still in the league phase of the competition, with two more rounds to go before the knockouts. That means it really is crunch time.

Aston Villa are fifth in the overall standings as they head to 16th placed Monaco, with one more win for Unai Emery's side likely enough to see them finish in the top eight and avoid the two-legged play-off.

For their French hosts, if they want to finish in the top eight they really have to win here, meaning we should be in for an entertaining encounter.

Monaco are bang out of form though, winless this calendar year (D2 L2) and have won just two of their last 11 in all competitions, while Villa have found some consistency since the start of December (W7 D2 L2), so the Premier League side will fancy their chances.

What are the best bets?

The Villans have won two of their three away games in this competition, with the other being a dubious loss against Club Brugge following a strange decision by Tyrone Mings that resulted in a penalty.

That had me looking at Villa in the Draw no Bet market, with even money looking a solid bet, but I'll fish for something a little bigger, starting with THILO KEHRER.

The former West Ham defender has been in excellent attacking for this season, and looks worth while siding with to have 1+ TOTAL SHOT and TO SCORE ANYTIME.

Kehrer has been a constant threat in the Champions League, firing a shot in all bar one of his six matches, including at the Emirates, so at 2/1, I'll happily chance him to pull the trigger in a game Monaco really have to get a result. He's 4/7 in places.

Aston Villa have been pretty tight defensively from set-pieces generally, but in the UCL they have conceded a shot to a centre-back in four of their six outings, and with no Pau Torres (injured) or Diego Carlos (suspended) they could be more vulnerable than usual.

As well as firing shots, Kehrer has also hit the net plenty this season, bagging a total of four goals across Ligue 1 and Champions League matches, so at 22/1 to find the net, he's worth a small bet - he's 17/2 elsewhere. The Frenchman scored the winner against Bologna in this competition.

He's averaged 0.20 goals per 90 this season, and found the net last time out against Montpellier, so the price looks massive. I'd back him at 12s given his scoring rate this term, his continued threat in Europe and the desperation for a win for his side.

Mohammed Salisu celebrates scoring

Speaking of SALISU, given he has three goals to his name this season, including two in his last three, it would be daft to not back him TO SCORE ANYTIME too at the same price.

CLICK HERE to back Mohammed Salisu to score anytime with Sky Bet

This season, the former Southampton centre-back has averaged 0.81 shots and 0.22 goals per 90.

I'll also back YOURI TIELEMENS TO BE CARDED at 5/1.

CLICK HERE to back Youri Tielemans to be carded with Sky Bet

Unai Emery will have to reshuffle his midfield due to injuries, meaning Tielemans could be deployed deeper than usual with no Amadou Onana or Ross Barkley, making his card price appeal.

Youri Tielemans being card

The Belgian has been booked three times in the league and once on the continent this season, with his sole card in this competition coming in Villa's draw with Juventus when he was playing in a deeper role.

Team news

Monaco will be without former Arsenal player Folarin Balogun, as well as George Ilenikhena and Krepin Diatta.

On the doubtful list are Wilfried Singo and Dennis Zakaria, with both missing Friday's defeat to Montpellier.

John McGinn celebrates his goal against Arsenal

John McGinn is doubtful

As for Villa, John McGinn is back in training but this game could come too soon for him, while all of Diego Carlos (suspended), Ross Barkley and Pau Torres (both injured) are unavailable here.

Amadou Onana is touch-and-go for this clash as well having picked up a knock that forced him to come off against Arsenal at the weekend.

Predicted line ups

Monaco: Majecki; Henrique, Salisu, Kehrer, Vanderson; Camara, Magassa, Akliouche, Golovin, Ben Seghir; Embolo

Aston Villa: Martinez; Digne, Mings, Konsa, Cash; Kamara, Tielemans; Rogers, Ramsey, Bailey; Watkins

Match facts

This will be the first meeting between Monaco and Aston Villa, while the French side have won four of their last five home games against English sides in the UEFA Champions League (L1) – all of which have been against different teams (Chelsea and Liverpool in 2004, Spurs in 2016 and Manchester City in 2017).
Aston Villa are winless in their four away matches against French sides in Europe (D2 L2), with the most recent of those coming last season, in a defeat away to Lille in the UEFA Conference League (1-2 in the quarter-final second leg in April).
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has won each of his last six games against Monaco across all competitions (all in charge of Paris SG), with the aggregate scoreline of those games being 23-4. His last game against them was a 7-1 victory in a Ligue 1 clash back in April 2018.
Monaco were unbeaten in their opening four games in the UEFA Champions League this season (W3 D1), but have since lost the last two against Benfica (2-3) and Arsenal (0-3). They’ve never previously conceded 3+ goals in three consecutive matches in the European Cup/Champions League.
Only Atalanta (9), Liverpool (9) and Feyenoord (7) have won more points in UEFA Champions League away games so far this season than Aston Villa (6), who have scored exactly three goals in their two away victories in the competition (3-0 v Young Boys, 3-2 v RB Leipzig).
Nine of Monaco’s 12 goals in the UEFA Champions League this season have come across their three home games with the French side last netting more on home turf in a group stage campaign in the competition in 2003-04 (13 in 3 games).
Among managers with 10+ wins to their name in the UEFA Champions League, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has the highest average margin of victory in the competition’s history (+2.9 from 26 wins overall).
Excluding own goals, Monaco have had the most different goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League this season (10) – the last team with 11+ different scorers in a group stage campaign were Napoli in 2022-23 (11) and the last with 12+ were Borussia Dortmund in 2016-17 (14).
Aston Villa’s Jhon Durán has scored three goals in just six UEFA Champions League appearances, despite starting just one of those matches (v Bologna); the only players to net as often for an English club in the competition at a more frequent rate than the Colombian (68 mins) are Lucas Pérez (45 for Arsenal), Demba Ba (55 for Chelsea), Faustino Asprilla (58 for Newcastle) and Álvaro Negredo (65 for Man City).
Only two players have won more fouls than Monaco’s Lamine Camara (15) in the UEFA Champions League so far this season with three of those leading to the opposition receiving a card; only Sporting CP’s Trincão and Celtic’s Arne Engels have been fouled more often with the offence leading to either a caution or red card (4 each).

Odds correct at 1400 GMT (20/01/25)

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