AS Monaco – PSV

PSV will try to play attacking football

Monaco will take on PSV at home on Tuesday, August 2, in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Both teams begin their journey into the European competition. Monaco are not yet convincing in friendlies. Clement's side have been conceding a lot. The Monegasques have allowed three goals against Southampton, lost to Porto and conceded twice against Inter. The only friendly match in which they managed to keep their goal intact was against Portugal's Portimonense. Monaco's squad weakened significantly over the summer. The club was forced to sell key player Aurélien Chouameni. It was largely thanks to him that the team managed to qualify for the Champions League. Promising central defender Pavlovic also left Monaco. But the main acquisitions were made in attack. Winger Takumi Minamino was brought in from Liverpool. There are now more options at the centre-forward position following the transfer of Brill Embolo. The attack has become much more varied. Aleksandr Golovin is injury-free for the first time in a long time. The Russian is also expected to have a breakthrough season. The player has already scored for Inter in a friendly. PSV, on the other hand, have looked solid enough during friendlies. The club is also entering a new era. The legendary Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed head coach. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward will clearly be looking to attacking football, as he has already demonstrated in friendlies and in the Super Cup clash with Ajax. The match for the first prize of the season in the Netherlands was perhaps the most entertaining of the weekend. PSV thrashed Ajax 5-3, with newcomer Guus Till the main hero. The midfielder scored a hat-trick. Virtually all the attacks came through the new midfielder. PSV made a good showing in friendly games. The Dutch vice-champion managed to beat the fifth team in Spain, Betis, and a decent game against Villarreal, who lost 1-2. Crucially, PSV have played all of their matches in preparation for the new season with a total of more. Monaco have similar statistics. It is very likely that even the pressure of the Champions League will not affect the performance in the encounter between the two attacking teams. Both clubs give priority to attack. It's hard to imagine PSV closing in the away encounter. The bookmakers give rather cautious odds on the total. It is logical to assume that there will also be no close football after the break. Two goals in 45 minutes is a realistic target for opponents who regularly break the total.