UEFA Champions League 25/26: Monaco vs Manchester City Preview, Prediction, Live Score & Lineups

Monaco enters this clash after an inconsistent run, suffering a heavy defeat in their opening Champions League fixture, leaving them desperate for points at home. Meanwhile, the reigning champions, Manchester City, arrive in sublime form, having secured a dominant victory on Matchday 1, underlining their status as strong group favorites and a force to be reckoned with across Europe.

Match Details

Competition - Round: UEFA Champions League - League Phase (Matchday 2)

Kick-off (GMT): 19:00, Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Stadium, Location: Stade Louis-II, Fontvieille, Monaco (FRA)

Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (ESP)

VAR: César Soto Grado (ESP)

Match Facts and Key Numbers

Head-to-Head (H2H): The previous two competitive meetings in the 2016/17 Round of 16 resulted in one win for each side, with an unforgettable 6-6 aggregate scoreline seeing Monaco progress on away goals (City won 5-3, Monaco won 3-1).

Recent Form (City): Manchester City's recent form is outstanding, including a 5-1 Premier League win over Burnley and a 2-0 Champions League victory over Napoli, highlighting their high goal-scoring rate (averaging 2.85 goals per game this season).

Recent Form (Monaco): Monaco's current form is patchy, marked by a frustrating 3−1 league loss to Lorient and a difficult 4−1 defeat in their Champions League opener against Club Brugge.

Goal Threat: The two previous H2H matches saw an average of 6.00 goals per match, suggesting this fixture historically promises high entertainment and offensive action.

Defensive Concerns: Monaco has struggled defensively, conceding 1.90 goals per game on average this season, which is concerning when facing a City attack featuring the prolific Erling Haaland.

Possession Dominance: Manchester City is expected to control the tempo, averaging over 64% ball possession in their matches, forcing Monaco to rely heavily on counter-attacks.

Match Prediction

This fixture is a classic clash of pedigree and recent form. While the history between these two teams guarantees goals and high drama, current performance heavily favors the visitors. Monaco will rely on the atmosphere at Stade Louis-II to recapture the spirit of their 2017 upset, but their recent defensive frailties against City's dominant, high-scoring attack are likely to prove decisive. Manchester City should secure a comfortable win, asserting their dominance in the group.

Prediction: Monaco 1 - 3 Manchester City