Leonardo Jardim wants much better from AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League this season, but the principality side have a tough start at home to Atlético Madrid as Radamel Falcao faces his former club.
UEFA Champions League Group A
Matchday one (kick-off 1900 GMT)
AS Monaco – Atlético Madrid 
Monaco have been waiting for this moment for nine months, for the opportunity to atone for their desperately disappointing performance in last season’s Champions League. Then, off the back of an exhilarating run to the semi-finals, Jardim’s side were eliminated in the group stage, finishing bottom of a section containing Beşiktaş, FC Porto and RB Leipzig.
The feel-good factor that came from their fine finish to last season when they snatched second place has been diminished by events since then. More leading players left the club in the summer, and Jardim’s new-look squad have not won since the opening weekend of the Ligue 1 Conforama season, drawing 1-1 at Toulouse FC on Saturday.
But the Portuguese coach is aiming for a big improvement in Europe this autumn, despite Monaco being drawn in a tough group along with two recent Champions League finalists in Atlético and Borussia Dortmund, as well as Club Brugge.
“The Champions League is always a very difficult competition,” Jardim said on Monday. “Last year we were not good enough to compete at this level. I hope our performances are better this year. Our objective is to do our best with the players we have, to always be ambitious, have the right attitude.”
Falcao returns, Lemar back at Louis II
Monaco lost all three home games in the group stage last season and their last match at the Stade Louis II ended in a 3-2 defeat against Olympique de Marseille. But the good news ahead of Tuesday’s game is that skipper Falcao is set to return to the side after a stomach upset kept him out at the weekend. Jordi Mboula could also start in a team still deprived of the likes of Rony Lopes, Stevan Jovetic and Aleksandr Golovin.
While Atlético are always a formidable proposition, Diego Simeone’s side do not come into this game in the best shape. They have won just once in four La Liga games this season, requiring a stoppage-time equaliser from youngster Borja Garcés to draw with SD Eibar at the weekend.
“We have had ups and downs,” said Simeone of his team’s start to the campaign. “We have had spells in games where we have played well. The only thing I know to do is to keep working in order to get better.”
Atlético were also eliminated in the group stage last season and have invested big ahead of this campaign as they hope to go all the way to a final which will be played in their own stadium. Their biggest signing was Thomas Lemar, who joined from Monaco and is set to face his old teammates here.
Probable teams
Monaco: Benaglio; Sidibé, Glik, Jemerson, Henrichs; Aholou, Aït Bennasser; Mboula, Tielemans, Chadli; Falcao (c)
Atlético Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Giménez, Godín, Hernández; Rodri; Griezmann, Koke, Lemar, Saúl Ñíguez; Costa
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