PLAYER RATINGS | Benfica 3-3 Monaco (4-3 on agg.) – Mistake-ridden Monégasques eliminated from Champions League | OneFootball

Champions League knockout play-off round, Second Leg, 18/02/2025Despite a gutsy offensive display from Adi Hütter’s men, AS Monaco are eliminated from the Champions League after a performance mired by defensive errors.THE MATCHIt was the moment of reckoning for Adi Hütter’s side. After losing a first leg affair at the Stade Louis II (0-1), Les Monégasques needed a big performance away from home if they were to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. If their performance against a 10-man Nantes side was anything to go by last weekend in Ligue 1, the Principality side were looking confident in front of goal – but the young Mikel Biereth would be dropped by Hütter for a front two pairing of Embolo and Minamino. ASM also welcomed the return of Wilfied Singo at the back, as a side blighted by absences were hoping to pull off a comeback at the Estádio da Luz.

Immediately, the Portuguese hosts sought to put on the pressure to try and extend their aggregate lead. A ball whipped in by Aursnes was diverted goalwards by Barreio but Majecki collected the ball well as the hostilities opened early on.

Les Monégasques then created their big first chance of the game, with Akliouche picking up the ball in midfield and driving to the edge of the box. The Frenchman slotted the ball through to Embolo, but a moment of hesitation saw Benfica keeper Trubin intercept, as Ben Seghir fired the follow up into the side netting. Keprin Diatta was then at the centre of the next big chance, meeting Ben Seghir’s fine cross at the back post but his volleyed effort was blocked by the two Benfica centre backs. Akliouche was the highlight of a period of slight dominance for the away side, but an initially promising start, the first blow would come for Les Monégasques. A horrific five seconds from Wilfried Singo saw the Ivorian give the ball away to Vangelis Pavlidis, and the Greek centre-forward simply played across for Kerem Aktürkoğlu to finish emphatically.

A tough one to take, but Adi Hütter’s men had to keep pushing if they were to get anything out of the game. Diatta would put the ball on a plate for Breel Embolo, and his header was perfectly timed but struck the bottom of the left post.Only a minute later, the away side got their just rewards, a goal from Takumi Minamino who slotted a finish underneath Anatoliy Trubin after some great work from Embolo to divert two defenders. It was game-on at the Éstadio da Luz. Just before the end of the first period, Breel Embolo would miss a massive opportunity to restore parity on aggregate after Maaghnes Akliouche ran almost half the length of the pitch to provide him with the assist.

Monaco show attacking spirit in second period, but defensive frailties laid bare

A second half of high tension began with a well-hit strike from Eliesse Ben Seghir which stung the palms of Trubin. Their high intensity and focus continued, and ASM got their just rewards when Maghnes Akliouche fed Ben Seghir in the box via a wonderful dummied run by Diatta, and the Moroccan drilled a finish to put Les Monégasques back on level terms.

The tie hung in the balance by the hour-mark, when the free-scoring Mika Biereth was introduced by Adi Hütter. But it was at the back where Monaco were living a charmed life. Another panic in clearing Monégasque lines saw Benfica nick the ball on the edge of the box, and Thilo Kehrer’s late challenge on Fredrik Aursnes when clearing the ball would call the referee into consulting VAR. The German’s challenge was marginal, and the decision fell the way of the hosts as the referee awarded a spot kick for Benfica. Vangelis Pavlidis stepped up and converted, putting the Portuguese side ahead once again in the tie.

But the French side didn’t give up, Hütter brought on George Ilenikanha and Kassoum Ouattarra to add some more attacking impetus, and it worked right away. Otamendi fails to win his header against the Nigerian attacker, and Ilenikhena bears down on goal and sends an emphatic finish past Trubin. A dramatic leveller, but Benfica profited off a defensive mix-up between Singo and Kehrer to allow Kökçü to turn in Carreas’s cross.

With seven added minutes of injury time, Adi Hütter’s side looked energised to go and find a leveller. A VAR scare for a penalty given away by Diatta was waved away eventually, leading to a tense final five minutes in Portugal. But it was too little too late for Monaco, who were eliminated from the Champions League after conceding three self-inflicted goals.

AS MONACO PLAYER RATINGS

Radosław Majecki – 4

Caio Henrique – 5

Christian Mawissa – 5

Thilo Kehrer – 3

Despite an assured first-half performance, the German was at fault for the penalty given to Benfica when he mistimed his clearance and fouled Aursnes in the process. The captain once again switched off for Benfica’s third goal, assuming that Majecki would come and collect the ball which was instead turned in by Kökçü.

Wilfried Singo – 3

His return from injury was mistake-ridden, notably self-inflicted when playing out the back in the first half and slipping to hand Vangelis Pavlidis the ball before the first goal for Benfica. He repeated a similar error later on in the first half, but he wouldn’t be punished. He was however then again involved in the defensive mix-up which saw Kökçü.

Krépin Diatta – 4

Eliesse Ben Seghir – 7

Much like his creative partner in Akliouche, the young Moroccan international proved an attacking menace all night with a great display of technical quality – topping it off with a deadly finish to put Monaco on level terms.

Lamine Camara – 5

Maghnes Akliouche – 7

He looked in great form this evening, playing an effective role between the lines with a lot of technical quality to get Monaco moving on the transition. He was a nuisance for the Benfica defence all night long, completing a flashy performance with some mazy runs and some great technical moves, all with a direct attacking intent.

Breel Embolo – 5

He started tonight instead of the free-scoring Mika Biereth, so it was safe to say the pressure was on the Swiss international to provide a similar level of attacking output in the Champions League. His game will probably be remembered for missing a glorious chance at the end of the first period

Takumi Minamino – 6

A third goal in the Champions League this season for the Japanese international and came into the game as one of the senior figures to take the game by the scruff of the neck when needed for the French side.GFFN | George Boxall