Wednesday 01/10/2014, 20:45, Champions League Groups, Zenit vs Monaco

Zenit vs Monaco Preview

Zenit St Petersburg is once again the top favorite for winning the Russian championship and they are already on the right track. With 25 points after nine rounds, they have a nearly flawless record and they hope to carry it in the Champions League group stage. So far they did everything that was expected from them and will try to extend their winning streak against Monaco, a team that is going through a rough stretch after losing his best striker.

Zenit vs Monaco Odds

At Totepool

Zenit 1.70, Draw 3.80, Monaco 5.70

Zenit vs Monaco Tips

Over the season break, Monaco traded Falcao to Manchester United and so far they didn't find a worthy replacement for the Colombian striker. Despite the fact that he spent most of the season on the bench last year as a result of suffering a season-ending injury in February, he remains an asset for the French side.

This season started terribly for them as they failed to win back-to-back games and only recently managed to win a handful of matches. All of them were narrow margin victories, in which Monaco scored just once and barely managed to keep a clean sheet. It won't be easy to employ the strategy successful in the Champions League group stages, especially tonight when they travel to St. Petersburg.

Monaco won three consecutive games by 1-0 and then manager Jardim decided to rest some key players and the result was disappointing. They lost the derby of the Azure Coast, as Nice scored the only goal of the match on the road and further aggravated their struggles at the middle of the standings.

By comparison, Zenit St Petersburg is flying high and winning games with relative ease, including those played against the best Russian teams. They managed to prevail for three times in a row on the road and took some precautions over the weekend against Spartak, an approach that cost them two points.

Key Facts

• Zenit St Petersburg won 13 consecutive games, before the scoreless draw against Spartak Moscow
• This is the first time that the two teams meet in a head-to-head games, with none of them playing at the same time in the Champions League.

Zenit vs Monaco Prediction

It is obvious, that the team to back tonight is Zenit, as the Russians are not only in better form but also seem to have the better starting formation.

They have no absentees and didn't lose any players during the season break, which explains the lengthy winning streak. The only concern is that the odds might be a tad too low at 1.70, but even so punters are advised to act as they will further drop as kickoff draws near.

Bet: Zenit @ 1.70 with Totepool