Second-placed AS Monaco FC have home advantage as they try to resist the challenge of third-ranked FC Zenit and earn the draw they need to qualify for the knockout rounds from UEFA Champions League Group C.
Match background
• Zenit’s only triumph in France came in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup round of 16 when an Andrey Arshavin goal gave them a 1-0 win at Olympique de Marseille. The home leg finished 1-1 with Aleksandr Kerzhakov on target. Their three other visits to France all ended in defeat.
• Zenit prevailed again against Marseille two seasons later en route to lifting the 2007/08 UEFA Cup. Arshavin scored in a 3-1 away defeat and this proved decisive when Zenit won the return 2-0 to advance on away goals.
• The Russian side are in their fifth group stage campaign. Last season they finished second in the group with six points – the lowest total for a team progressing in UEFA Champions League history – to qualify for the knockout rounds for only the second time. In the round of 16 they lost 4-2 at home to Borussia Dortmund and 5-4 overall.
• The St Petersburg club won 2-0 at Benfica on matchday one but stumbled in the two games against Leverkusen, losing away (0-2) and home (1-2).
• On matchday five, Danny’s goal with 11 minutes remaining ensured a 1-0 win against Benfica.
