Two teams fighting for a spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League will clash at Stade Louis II on Tuesday, as Monaco face Aston Villa.
Aston Villa come into the match in fifth place, with 13 points from six games. The close three-point gap between them and 16th-placed Monaco shows how tight the standings are.
Both teams are aiming for a top-eight finish, which guarantees a place in the last 16. As a result, Tuesday's game could be an exciting and attacking encounter.
Team updates
Monaco will be missing Mika Biereth, who is not eligible to play in this stage of the competition, as well as Folarin Balogun and George Ilenikhena due to injuries.
Krepin Diatta and Wilfried Singo are doubtful after missing the last game against Montpellier.
John McGinn is nearing a return for Villa but will not be available for this European match, while Diego Carlos is out with an ankle problem.
Ross Barkley is a couple of weeks away from returning and Pau Torres is expected back in March.
Statistics
Monaco have not won in their last four matches, losing three and drawing one across all competitions.
After a strong start in the Champions League with 10 points from four matches, Monaco suffered defeats to Benfica (3-2) and Arsenal (3-0).
Three of Monaco's last four games have seen over 3.5 goals, with four or more goals scored in their last two home European matches.
Villa have lost only one of their six Champions League games, accumulating 13 points and positioning themselves well for a top-eight finish.
Villa showed resilience by coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Arsenal, extending their unbeaten streak to five games in all competitions.
Prediction
Both Monaco and Villa have strong motivations to win this matchday seven encounter. A victory for Monaco could propel them towards a top-eight finish, while Villa could secure their spot in the last 16 with a win.
Considering the stakes, we can expect an attacking match between two teams that have been prolific in front of goal this season.
Monaco have scored 29 goals in Ligue 1 and 12 in the Champions League, while Villa have found the net 33 times in the Premier League and nine times in Europe.
Neither team has been solid defensively, with Villa keeping just one clean sheet in their last 12 away games and Monaco failing to keep a clean sheet in their last six matches.
All signs point to a high-scoring game, and it would not be surprising to see at least four goals in this encounter.