In one of the world’s casino capitals, Unai Emery made a losing bet to leave Aston Villa’s Champions League fate hanging on next week’s all-British clash with Celtic.
With the Prince of Wales watching from the VIP seats, Villa trailed Monaco to Wilfried Singo’s eighth-minute header. Emery then took the risk of playing with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran together from the 10th minute of the second half yet with their two star forwards on the pitch, Villa never looked like scoring. They are now likely to need to beat Celtic next week to have a chance of qualifying automatically for the last 16.
It is not all bad for Villa, who are guaranteed a spot in the play-off round in February. But how Emery would love a couple of clear weeks at such a demanding time of the season, and a win here would have all but secured it. Instead, Villa must wait for results elsewhere and hope they deliver against Celtic. Villa deserved no more than they got after a sluggish display.
Emery sprung a surprise by choosing Emi Buendia, who has been marginalised this season, in his starting XI. The Argentine started on the left flank with Leon Bailey on the right and Morgan Rogers just behind Ollie Watkins, again given the nod over Jhon Duran.
Bailey twice had the chance to make an impact early on but wasted them, first with a heavy touch inside the box and then a weak header straight at Radoslaw Majecki.
Tyrone Mings was similarly sloppy at the other end and it led to the opening goal. The Villa centre-back lost possession to Takumi Minamino, whose shot was blocked by Ezri Konsa. From Lamine Camara’s corner, Emi Martinez saved the first header from Thilo Kehrer but could not prevent Singo nodding in the follow-up.
Aston Villa suffered a 1-0 defeat to Monaco with Wilfried Singo’s header proving the difference

SIngo’s early strike prove enough for Monaco to draw level on points with Aston Villa

Unai Emery played Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran together in the in second half without reward
Villa were looking ragged at the back, with this time Konsa at fault. Denis Zakaria seized the England man’s loose ball, Eliesse Ben Seghir found Maghnes Akliouche and Martinez did well to turn away the rising drive. Martinez was heckled throughout by fans who still have not forgiven his antics as Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup Final.
With Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara starting to dictate in midfield, Villa improved. Singo was at full stretch to stop Matty Cash’s cross reaching Watkins while Majecki did well to stop Morgan Rogers reaching Kehrer’s short back header.
Finding space in midfield, Buendia picked out Watkins and when the ball broke to Bailey, Majecki made another instinctive save. The Pole rescued his side again in first-half stoppage time as Watkins collecting another ball from Buendia, and only Majecki’s fingertips stopped him finding the bottom corner. Seconds later, Akliouche should have doubled Monaco’s lead but fired Minamino’s pass too high.
Emery stuck with the same XI from the restart and was nearly rewarded when Buendia again picked out Watkins and Rogers’ just grazed the post from his team-mate’s cut-back.
Yet Monaco showed their strength on the counter-attack again as Akliouche turned in Vanderson’s low cross only to be flagged offside.
Shortly before the hour mark, Emery had seen enough and sent on Duran to play up front with Watkins, with Rogers moving wide and Bailey taken off.
In trying to force an equaliser, Villa left space at the back. Twice Minamino should have punished them but kept the ball when first Akliouche and then Breel Embolo were lurking unmarked. Then Cash just failed to finish an impressive move involving Watkins and Rogers.
By now Aleksandr Golovin was on for Ben Seghir and as he bore down on goal, Mings did well to block his shot on the slide.