Monaco 1 Aston Villa 0: Champions League top eight finish goes to wire
Villa’s fight to secure a top-eight finish in the Champions League was always going to the wire.
But this defeat in Monaco means Unai Emery’s men will have to beat Celtic next week and may need help from elsewhere if they are to secure a passage straight through to the last-16, avoiding next month’s play-off round.
On a frustrating night on the Mediterranean, under the watching eye of Prince William, Wilfried Singo’s eighth-minute goal was enough to secure victory for the principality club, who moved level on points with Villa and are one of several teams who will be in the mix next Wednesday night. Only after tonight’s round of matches will the permutations become clearer.
Emery had described this match as a big opportunity for his team in the race for the top-eight but it was one they failed to grasp, falling to their second league phase defeat.
This was their third away match in the space of six days and there was a sense, particularly in the second half, of efforts at Everton and Arsenal catching up with them.
Not even the second half introduction of Jhon Duran could spark Villa. The Colombia international had scored within 10 minutes of coming on in previous matches with Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig but if anything the visiting attack rather fizzled after he and Ollie Watkins were paired together for the final 35 minutes here. Emery seems no closer to finding an effective system which allows both his strikers in the team.
Watkins had Villa’s best chance on the stroke of half-time but was denied by a fine save from Monaco goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki.
The latter should have been tested within the opening five minutes by Leon Bailey but the Jamaica international winger, back in the starting XI, failed to make clean contact with a header.
Tyrone Mings was making his first Champions League appearance since giving away a farcical penalty in Villa’s defeat in Brugge and when his stray pass was pounced on by Maghnes Akliouche, it set up the corner from which Monaco grasped the lead.
Thilo Kehrer rose highest to meet Lamine Camara’s delivery and though Emi Martinez pulled off a superb one handed save, Singo was quickest following in to head the rebound over the line from a couple of yards out.
Monaco might not be France but Martinez was getting booed at every touch by the home supporters, who then saw him pull off a flying save to deny Akliouche and ensure reeling Villa did not quickly fall further behind.
Finally Emery’s men began to find their stride but Leon Bailey could not beat home goalkeeper Majecki after being picked out by Emi Buendia.
The latter was making just his third start of the season and first since October and was growing into the game. As the clock ticked into stoppage time the Argentine set-up Villa’s best chance of the half when he played Watkins through on goal but Majecki pulled off a superb save, diving low down to his right and pushing the ball round the post.
With the game opening up, there was still time left for Akliouche to miss a great chance to double the home side’s lead when he fired over through on goal.
Buendia was involved in the move which set up another big Villa chance early in the second half, his pass springing Watkins away down the left. The striker picked out Morgan Rogers but the latter’s attempted finish, with the outside of his boot, flew just past the post.
Akliouche then had the ball in the net at the other end only for his celebrations to be quelled quickly by a raised flag.
Emery introduced Duran 10 minutes after the restart but the next big chance went to the hosts, Takumi Minamino opting to check inside rather than shoot when through on goal.
Villa were pushing and probing and almost made a breakthrough when Rogers picked out the run of Cash, only for the right-back to pull his shot wide of the target.
The visitors were still having to be careful at the other end as Monaco looked to hit them the counter and a diving block was required from Mings to keep out substitute Aleksandr Golovin’s strike.
Monaco (4-2-3-1): Majecki, Vanderson, Singo, Kehrer, Mawissa, Zakaria (Teze 78), Camara (Magassa 65), Akilouche, Minamino (Michal 78), Ben Seghir (Golovin 65), Embolo Subs not used: Henrique, Outtara, Salisu, Diatta, Diop, Bouabre, Kohn (gk), Lienard (gk).
Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne (Maatsen 68), Kamara, Tielemans, Bailey (Duran 55), Buendia (Bogarde 86), Rogers (Ramsey 86), Watkins Subs not used: Nedeljkovic, Swinkels, Young, Olsen (gk), Gauci (gk).
