Ligue 1 giants Monaco, who are enduring a poor back-to-back losing streak, travel to face a confident Pafos side in the UEFA Champions League on Saturday, 26 November.
Keep close tabs on UEFA Champions League predictions after viewing our key Pafos vs Monaco tips below.
Contents
Pafos vs Monaco prediction: Pafos to inflict surprise Monegasques defeat?
Key stats
- Pafos are unbeaten in four successive competitive fixtures (W3, D1).
- The Cypriot outfit have won six of their last 10 home games across all competitions.
- Monaco have won only three of their eight away competitive trips this season.
- Les Monegasques haven conceded eight goals in two matches (L2)
Correct score prediction: Pafos 2-1 Monaco
Pafos have been impressive form of late, going undefeated in four straight competitive outings, including a slender 1-0 victory over Spanish outfit Villarreal in the previous UCL matchday – their maiden triumph in the tournament proper. The Cyprus League table toppers are high on confidence, but welcoming a team of Monaco’s quality is no easy task.
Despite their superior individual quality, the visitors from the principality have been in dismal form, losing back-to-back fixtures by a 4-1 margin in the French top-tier. Their last victory was incidentally in the Champions League, having beaten Bodo/Glimt by the narrowest of margins for their first continental triumph this season.
Despite this turbulence, Monaco’s superior quality makes them clear away favourites. But Pafos’ current run of form and home advantage should prove decisive as they bid to go three UCL games unbeaten.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Strong home favourites
- HOME: 1/1 (2.00) – 50%
- DRAW: 14/5 (3.80) – 26.3%
- AWAY: 9/4 (3.25) – 30.7%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Pafos have kept two clean sheets across their last four matches, but their home advantage is of little significance to bookies’ odds of 19/5 (4.80), which indicate a 20.8% win probability for the hosts.
Monaco, meanwhile, are favourites to grab all three points, although their recent form has been poor at best, backed by a 62.1% win probability rate.
Don’t forget to check out more of our football betting tips page after analysing our Pafos vs Monaco predictions.
Most recent H2Hs: Maiden meeting
The two sides have never met before, with this clash being only the third competitive meetings between clubs from Cyprus and France.
Pafos preview: Five players to sit out
Joao Correia will miss this clash as he’s serving the second of his two-match ban for a red card against Kairat Almaty. Ken Sema, Andre Brito, Ognjen Mimovic, Wilmer Odefalk and Athanasios Papadouis are confirmed absentees as well.
Predicted lineup: Michail (GK), Felipe, Luckassen, Luiz, Sema, Sunjic, Goldar, Pepe, Jaja, Dragomir & Quina
Last five matches:
- Pafos 2-1 Aris (Cyprus League)
- Anorthosis 1-1 Pafos (Cyprus League)
- Pafos 1-0 Villarreal (UEFA Champions League)
- Pafos 1-0 AEL Limassol (Cyprus League)
- Pafos 1-2 AEK Larnaca (Cyprus Super Cup)
Monaco preview: Can they overturn their form?
Sebastien Pocognoli misses the services of Eric Dier and Christian Mawissa.
Predicted lineup: Hradecky (GK), Kehrer, Salisu, Henrique, Minamino, Teze, Zakaria, Ouattara, Akliouche, Golovin & Balogun
Last five matches:
- Rennes 4-1 Monaco (Ligue 1)
- Monaco 1-4 Lens (Ligue 1)
- Bodo/Glimt 0-1 Monaco (UEFA Champions League)
- Monaco 0-1 Paris FC (Ligue 1)
- Nantes 3-5 Monaco (Ligue 1)
Player to watch: Derrick Luckassen
Dutch defender Luckassen has been instrumental in steering Pafos towards success in recent matchdays. Luckassen’s solitary strike against Villarreal, a header from Ken Sema’s corner, gifted Pafos their first-ever UCL victory, and his defensive resilience will be key in keeping Monaco’s best attackers at bay as Pafos eye back-to-back UCL wins.