AS Monaco clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at the Stade Louis-II on the evening of Tuesday, January 21, earning their place in the Champions League play-offs. Wilfried Singo’s early goal proved decisive, as the Red and Whites delivered a spirited performance under the watchful eyes of HSH Prince Albert II and club President Dmitry Rybolovlev, who later congratulated the team in the locker room.
Facing the formidable challenge of an Aston Villa side that had recently drawn with Arsenal and defeated Bayern Munich, Monaco knew they needed a resolute performance. Manager Adi Hütter fielded a strong lineup, returning captain Wilfried Singo to the starting XI alongside Thilo Kehrer in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
The match began at a blistering pace, with Aston Villa threatening early before Monaco took the lead in the 8th minute. A corner from Maghnes Akliouche led to a rebound that Singo capitalised on, heading the ball past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. This crucial goal, Singo’s second of the competition, energised Monaco. Eliesse Ben Seghir nearly doubled the lead minutes later but was denied by Martinez.
Villa pushed back, with efforts from Lucas Digne and Leon Bailey testing Monaco’s defence. Goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki made critical saves, particularly a fingertip stop against Bailey’s curling shot in the 37th minute. Despite late first-half pressure from both sides, Monaco maintained their lead at the break.
The second half saw continued intensity. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers narrowly missed the target, while Maghnes Akliouche, flagged offside, came close to scoring again. As the match progressed, Monaco introduced fresh legs, with Aleksandr Golovin and Soungoutou Magassa bolstering their midfield. Golovin’s late effort grazed the side netting, keeping the tension high.
Villa mounted a final push in stoppage time, but Monaco’s defence held firm. When the final whistle blew, the victory ensured Monaco’s qualification for the play-offs, with a chance to progress further depending on their performance against Inter Milan in the next round on the evening of Wednesday, January 29.
This win marks a significant morale boost for the Monegasques, breaking a winless streak in 2025 and reigniting hopes for Champions League success.