Real Madrid will be looking to return to winning ways in the Champions League when they host AS Monaco on Tuesday night.

Real Madrid are gearing up for their first Champions League outing under Alvaro Arbeloa. While Los Blancos will be looking to strengthen their case for a top-eight finish, AS Monaco will be eyeing their third win in the UEFA Champions League to avoid a potential early exit.

The home team are seventh on the table with 12 points in their six outings. After a run of three straight wins, the Spanish giants have lost two out of their last three Champions League games. They suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in their last European outing and will be eager to return to winning ways.

Of late, things have not been that great for Los Blancos, as Xabi Alonso parted ways after defeat to Barcelona in the Super Cup final, while Alvaro Arbeloa’s tenure started with a defeat to second division outfit Albacete in the Copa del Rey. However, the hosts are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-0 win over Levante, and they will be confident about their chances against AS Monaco.

Meanwhile, the visitors are 19th on the table with nine points in their six outings. They only have a three-point cushion over 25th-placed SL Benfica; as a result, the Monegasque outfit cannot afford to relax in the final two league fixtures.

Monaco have been unbeaten since losing on matchday 1, and they have won two out of their last three Champions League outings. They secured a 1-0 win over Galatasaray in their last European outing, but are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-1 defeat to FC Lorient.

The Ligue 1 outfit will have to do much better to stand a chance against Los Blancos. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Real Madrid

The Spanish giants will be without the services of Alvaro Carreras (suspended), Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh), Eder Militao (hamstring), and Brahim Diaz (AFCON). Meanwhile, Rodrygo (discomfort), Ferland Mendy (calf), Antonio Rudiger (knee) and Andriy Lunin (discomfort) will all be assessed ahead of kick-off.

Real Madrid will continue to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Thibaut Courtois will be in goal. Federico Valverde and Fran Garcia will be the full-backs, while Raul Asencio will partner with Dean Huijsen in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Aurelien Tchouameni will be the defensive midfielder in the centre of the park, while Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga will be in his support. The trio will look to dictate the tempo and dominate the proceedings.

Arda Guler could feature in the final third, hoping to pull the strings from an advanced position. The Turkish gem could take up the right flank, while Vinicius Junior should continue on the left. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for Real Madrid against his former club AS Monaco.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Garcia; Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Guler, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr

AS Monaco

While there are doubts over Folarin Balogun’s availability after he picked up a knock in their last outing, he is expected to be back fit for this one. But AS Monaco will certainly be without the services of Paul Pogba (calf), Lukas Hradecky (knee), Christian Mawissa (hamstring), Takumi Minamino (knee), and Mohammed Salisu (knee).

Meanwhile, Senegalese duo Krepin Diatta and Lamine Camara took part in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, and they won’t be available for this fixture.

AS Monaco will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Philipp Kohn will take charge in goal. Vanderson and Caio Henrique will feature as the full-backs, while Thilo Kehrer and Eric Dier will pair up at the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Jordan Teze will start alongside Denis Zakaria in the centre of the park. They will look to ensure the Real Madrid midfielders do not run the show. Maghnes Akliouche and Aleksandr Golovin will feature on the flanks, providing support to the full-backs and width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Mika Biereth should form the strike partnership with Folarin Balogun.

Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Kohn; Vanderson, Kehrer, Dier, Henrique; Akliouche, Teze, Zakaria, Golovin; Balogun, Biereth

Key Stats

• Real Madrid have lost two out of their last three UEFA Champions League games.
• AS Monaco have been unbeaten in the Champions League since their defeat on Matchday 1.
• Los Blancos have won their last three home games across competitions, and they will be looking to make it four in a row.
• Real Madrid and AS Monaco have only faced each other once in the past (2003/04 season), where the French giants knocked Los Blancos out of the quarter-finals on away goals.
• AS Monaco have lost three out of their last five games across competitions.

Player to Watch

Kylian Mbappe

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Mbappe was back in the starting XI last time out, and he managed to add another goal to his tally, making it 30 goals and five assists in his 26 outings this season. While Los Blancos have been inconsistent, the French striker has delivered almost every time he has stepped on the pitch.

The Frenchman has nine goals in his five Champions League outings, which is already a career best tally for him. The 27-year-old will now be looking to add to his tally against his former club and help his team secure an important win in the race for a round of 16 spot.

Prediction

Real Madrid 2-1 AS Monaco

Real Madrid will head into this fixture eager to build some momentum under Alvaro Arbeloa and get their Champions League campaign back on track. Despite recent turbulence, Los Blancos remain formidable at the Bernabeu, and with players like Kylian Mbappe in strong form, they should be capable of controlling the game and creating enough chances to trouble AS Monaco’s backline.

The visitors have shown resilience in Europe this season and will look to stay compact while posing a threat on the counter through Folarin Balogun and Mika Biereth. However, their recent domestic struggles and injury concerns could work against them in Madrid.

If the hosts maintain their intensity and manage the game well, they should have just enough quality to edge out AS Monaco and move a step closer to securing a top-eight finish. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.