Arsenal v Monaco team news: Welbeck starts and Giroud leads the line as former Tottenham striker Berbatov faces the Gunners

 
Tom Farmery25 February 2015

Danny Welbeck has been given the nod by Arsene Wenger for Arsenal's Champions League clash with AS Monaco.

David Ospina keeps his place in the Arsenal starting line-up to face Monaco tonight, as Arsene Wenger makes two changes to the side that beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at the weekend.

The Spanish goalkeeper has recovered from a back injury that he sustained at Selhurst Park and again is preferred ahead of Wojciech Szczesny.

Kieran Gibbs replaces Nacho Monreal at left-back, while Hector Bellerin comes in for Calum Chambers.

Alexis Sanchez, who has scored in all four of the his Champions League appearances this season, starts with Welbeck and Mesut Ozil behind Olivier Giroud who spearheads the Arsenal attack.

Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim arrives with confidence after watching his side win 1-0 away to Nice last Friday night.

Dimitar Berbatov leads the line for the French with influential Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho also starts. Midfielder Jeremy Toulalan is suspended.

TEAMS IN FULL

Arsenal starting XI: Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Coquelin, Cazorla; Ozil, Sanchez, Welbeck; Giroud.

Substitutes: Szczesny, Gabriel, Monreal, Chambers, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott

Monaco starting XI: Subasic, Elderson, Wallace, Abdennour, Touré, Fabinho, Moutinho, Kondogbia, Dirar, Martial, Berbatov

Substitutes: Stekelenburg, Kurzawa, Diallo, Matheus, Silva, Traore, Ferreira Carrasco

Speaking ahead of the match, the Arsenal boss admitted that facing Monaco will be tough contest.

"The last 16 in recent years has been super tough. This is a 50/50 game," said Wenger.

"We know that Monaco are very tight defensively - they didn't concede in the group stage against good teams. Of course it will be tricky, but a possible tie.

"It is really a 50/50 because Monaco are in a similar position to us. They came back into a good position in the league and their confidence level will be high."

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