Monaco vs Gornik Zabrze - prediction, team news, lineups

With a spot in the League Phase of the Conference League on the line, Monaco will welcome Gornik Zabrze to Stade Louis II for the second leg of that playoff tie on Thursday.

The first matchup between these teams in Poland produced five goals, with Les Monegasques coming out on top 3-2.

Match preview

On a difficult pitch in Poland, Monaco got the job done last week, showing tremendous quality and poise to earn a narrow triumph.

That has them one positive result away from reaching the League Phase of this tournament for the first time and advancing to that stage of a European competition for a third successive campaign.

Filipe Luis has a 100% competitive record as manager of Les Monegasques, winning both of his matches at the helm by a single goal.

The Principality club are winless in their last two competitive matches at Stade Louis II but have only lost one of those last five such outings, with Lille beating them 1-0 in their final home game of the last Ligue 1 season.

Monaco have lost their last two home games in a European knockout tie but have not lost a European playoff encounter in the Principality since Bayer Leverkusen beat them 3-2 in 2023, winning that Europa League tie on penalties.

Les Monegasques are unbeaten at home against Polish clubs in Europe, conceding just one goal at Stade Louis II all-time versus those sides.

Getting into the group phase of this tournament will take some doing for Gornik Zabrze, who allowed far too many great opportunities to the visitors in leg one.

Thursday will mark the third time this season that Michal Gasparik finds his side trailing heading into leg two of a European qualifier, with his team yet to win a European outing this season.

The 1969-70 Cup Winners’ Cup runners-up have lost their only two European matches away from home this season, failing to find the back of the net on both occasions.

While they have lost three of their last four competitive games away from home, they triumphed in that last instance, defeating Radomiak Radom 3-1 domestically in early August.

The club from southern Poland have never advanced from a two-leg European tie this century after losing the opening game.

This will be the second-ever away match in Europe for this club against a French team, with Gornik Zabrze losing 2-1 at Marseille's Stade Velodrome in the 1970-71 European Cup competition despite taking the lead before the half-hour mark.

Monaco Conference League form:

Monaco form (all competitions):

Gornik Zabrze Conference League form:

Gornik Zabrze form (all competitions):

Team News

Due to a calf strain, Monaco may be without Ansu Fati, Matthis Abline is dealing with a foot injury, while Mohammed Salisu and Takumi Minamino are both recovering from cruciate ligament tears and Folarin Balogun is being linked to a transfer and unlikely to feature.

Mika Biereth, Lamine Camara and Paris Brunner all scored in the opening leg, with the latter’s goal coming just before the hour mark to put his team in front heading back to the Principality.

A broken arm means that Jaroslaw Kubicki will miss this match for Gornik Zabrze on Thursday, with the defensive midfielder suffering the injury in July.

Erik Prekop and Sondre Liseth scored in the second half last week to put them within striking distance of Monaco but it was not enough.

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Hradecky; Vanderson, Sane, Dier, Mawissa; Zakaria, Camara; Detourbet, Golovin; Biereth, Brunner

Gornik Zabrze possible starting lineup:

Schulze; Sacek, Janicki, Josema, Janza; Urbanski, Dietz, Bernardo; Durdov, Prekop, Khlan

We say: Monaco 2-1 Gornik Zabrze (Monaco advances 4-3 on aggregate)

Even with a coach known for his strong defensive strategy, Monaco have shown they can be potent in front of goal even without Balogun, and on a pitch they know well, we expect them to come away with a comfortable victory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.