Can Manchester City protect their lead and see off Monaco to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, at 7.45pm on BT Sport 2?

Perhaps only bested by Barcelona’s ludicrous comeback against PSG – and even then it runs it close – the 1st leg was one of the most thrilling games of the Champions League so far this season. Having taken the lead after 25 minutes through Raheem Sterling, City ended up finding themselves down 2-1 just before the break thanks to Radamel Falcao and Kylian Mbappe.



Things only got more manic in the second half. Within 16 minutes of the restart there had been a missed penalty from Falcao, an equaliser from Sergio Aguero AND minor redemption for Monaco’s Colombian forward in the form of his second goal. A flurry of activity in the final 20 minutes, however, helped give City the advantage heading into the 2nd leg, with a another strike from Aguero joined by goals for John Stones and Leroy Sane.

Despite that 2 goal lead, this fixture is in no way sewn up (just ask PSG or, indeed, Sevilla). Not only do Monaco have 3 all-important away goals, they are also one of Europe’s highest scoring sides – in Ligue 1 alone they have plundered a whopping 84 goals this season, compared to City’s 53 in the Premier League. As is to be expected Falcao is the club’s shining star up front, his 24 gifting him a Super Mega PGM of 39-46; Mbappe is muscling into his team-mate’s spotlight, however, the 18 year old nabbing 16 goals in all competitions to earn a Super Mega PGM of 28-34.

Not that Pep Guardiola’s team are any slouches going forward. Ignoring the odd inert fluff like their goalless draws against Stoke and Huddersfield, when they are firing on all cylinders City can bulldoze other sides into submission. Though he fell out of favour there for a bit, the absence of Gabriel Jesus has seen Aguero return to the top of the pecking order; he heads to the tax haven with a Super Mega PGM of 53-61, followed by Kelechi Iheanacho at 28-34 and Nolito at 21-26.

Just as it was at the Etihad a few weeks ago Wednesday’s game is likely going to be tight, with Spreadex offering a narrow Man City/Monaco (h) Goal Supremacy spread of 0-0.2 alongside a Total Goals spread of 3.55-3.75.