Manchester City Champions League draw: Pep Guardiola's side to play AS Monaco in last 16

Guardiola's men have been handed a tricky French test having avoided Juventus and Borussia Dortmund in the first knockout round

George Cooper
Monday 12 December 2016 13:13 GMT
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Radamel Falcao returns to England with Monaco to face Tottenham
Radamel Falcao returns to England with Monaco to face Tottenham (Getty)

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What do we need to know about Monaco?

Without a Ligue 1 title since the turn of the Millennium, AS Monaco could be set to end that drought this season, with Leonardo Jardim's side sitting second behind Nice. They score a lot of goals - 53 in their first 17 league games is a quite incredible return, 21 more than the league leaders - and their two wins over Spurs in the Champions League group stage this season demonstrated their European pedigree. They reached the Champions League final in 2004, losing to Jose Mourinho's FC Porto.

Player to watch out for?

Radamel Falcao. The Colombian endured wretched loan spells at both Chelsea and Manchester United but has slipped seemlessly back into life in France with 12 goals in his first 14 appearances this season.

How did Monaco qualify?

Jardim's side finished top of Group E, twice beating Tottenham along the way. Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow were tricky opponents but they qualifed with a game to spare, with a 3-0 defeat to Leverkusen in the final game their only real blemish.

Manchester City players celebrate with Kevin de Bruyne after the Belgian put the home side ahead against Barcelona
Manchester City players celebrate with Kevin de Bruyne after the Belgian put the home side ahead against Barcelona (Getty)

How did City qualify?

City showed they are a genuine European force with their 3-1 destruction of Barcelona, and in Kevin de Bruyne they have a player fit for the world stage. A 4-0 defeat to Barca at the Nou Camp was a rather more sobering result, and there were two less than convincing draws with Celtic.Finishing second behind the Spaniards did not make life easy for City but Guardiola will be pleased to have avoided Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.

When will they play?

First legs: 14-15 and 21-22 February

Second legs: 07-08 and 14-15 March

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