City prepare for Monaco’s Silva bullets
LONDON: Manchester City avoided Europe’s heavyweights in the Champions League last-16 draw but Pep Guardiola’s side must instead beware an in-form Monaco, the leading scorers in Europe’s top divisions this season.
City host the French league leaders at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg today looking to extend a nine-game home unbeaten run in the Champions League.
The Premier League side enjoyed their best European performance in club history as they reached last year’s semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Real Madrid.
But Monaco’s youthful, goal-laden squad will present a formidable challenge as Guardiola tries to keep intact his perfect record of seven victories in as many last-16 ties.
City last week lost Gabriel Jesus to a broken bone in his foot that could rule the Brazilian teen sensation out for the rest of the campaign, but Guardiola was more upbeat over the status of captain Vincent Kompany.
“Two days ago, he felt something in his leg. It is not a big, big issue,” Guardiola said after City were held to a 0-0 draw at secondtier Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round at the weekend.
Bernardo Silva’s equaliser salvaged a point for Monaco in a 1-1 draw at Bastia on Friday and Portugal teammate Joao Moutinho has tipped the 22-year-old to go to the very top.
With six goals and five assists in 25 Ligue 1 appearances, Silva has been instrumental in Monaco’s rise to the top of the table in a team who have scored 76 goals in 26 matches.
“When Bernardo arrived, I straight away said he was a good player but he would have to keep working. And that’s what he’s done this year. He’s had two good seasons but this year he’s proved himself,” Moutinho told AS Monaco TV.
“[Lionel] Messi, Eusebio, Cristiano Ronaldo, [Diego] Maradona, Pele... these are players who are and will remain part of football history. I hope and I think that Bernardo has the quality to get near that level.”
Atletico Madrid, twice runners-up to city rivals Real in the past three years, renew acquaintances with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany today after meeting at the same stage in 2014-15.
Atletico prevailed on penalties on that occasion and received a huge boost with goalkeeper Jan Oblak cleared to return from a dislocated shoulder that had sidelined the Slovenia international since December.
Defensive pillars Diego Godin and Juanfran are ruled out through injury, while Lucas Hernandez, who has deputised for Godin recently, is due in court the day of the game on domestic violence charges involving his girlfriend.
Kevin Gameiro made his case to partner fellow Frenchman Antoine Griezmann in attack after coming off the bench to net a five-minute hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Sporting Gijon on Saturday.
Tomorrow, struggling English champions Leicester City travel to Spain to face Sevilla, and Portuguese giants Porto host Italian champions Juventus.