Goals guaranteed between Monaco and Man City as Atletico look to Griezmann again – Champions League

Examples from history may serve to both help and hinder Monaco’s cause against Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie on Wednesday, while Antoine Griezmann will be expected to play a part in firing Atletico Madrid past Bayer Leverkusen.

Ligue 1 leaders Monaco and Premier League heavyweights City played out a thriller at the Etihad Stadium last month, the hosts coming from behind to win 5-3 and take a slim aggregate lead into the return fixture at Stade Louis II.

Atletico, last season’s beaten finalists at the hands of fierce local rivals Real Madrid, ran out 4-2 winners over Leverkusen in Germany, also giving them a two-goal advantage but with the potentially crucial benefit of multiple away goals when the Bundesliga team visit the Vicente Calderon.

With the help of Opta data, we examine the trends and past precedents that could be borne out again as we learn the identity of the two teams that will complete line-up for this season’s quarter-finals.

Monaco v Manchester City

20 – Since the current format of the tournament has been in place, there have been 20 instances of a side scoring three or more away goals in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie and all of them have progressed.

0 – Manchester City have never lost to French opposition in European competition (W2 D2).

3 – Monaco have come out on top in each of their three Champions League knockout ties with English clubs (versus Manchester United in 1997-98, Chelsea in 2003-04, Arsenal in 2014-15).

1 – Manchester City and Monaco have both only kept one clean sheet in this season’s Champions League: Only Real Madrid have had fewer (0) among teams in the round of 16 (with Napoli also on one). 

5 – Only three men (Lionel Messi with 10, Edinson Cavani’s seven and Robert Lewandowski with six) have scored more Champions League goals this season than Sergio Aguero’s five; the City striker averaging one every 90 minutes this term.

Atletico Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen

100% – Atletico Madrid have always progressed past the Champions League round of 16 under Diego Simeone (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16).

2001-02 – Bayer Leverkusen have reached the knockout stages for the fifth time in their last six Champions League campaigns. However, they have not progressed past the round of 16 since 2001-02, when they were beaten finalists.

1/10 – In fact, Bayer Leverkusen have lost nine of their last 10 Champions League knockout games (W1), their only win in that run coming against Atletico Madrid (1-0, February 2015).

1 – Atletico Madrid come into this second leg having conceded only one goal in their last eight home Champions League games; keeping two clean sheets against German side Bayern Munich at the Calderon in that time.

9 – Antoine Griezmann has been directly involved in nine of Atletico’s last 10 home Champions League goals (scored seven, two assists).