Real Madrid vs Monaco predictions and betting tips – Arbeloa takes charge in Europe

Alvaro Arbeloa will be in the dugout in the Champions League for the first time since his appointment as Real Madrid manager following Xabi Alonso’s recent departure.

Monaco will provide the opposition at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Can the French side make life difficult for Arbeloa, or will Madrid avoid a potential banana skin on matchday seven?

• Go for Real Madrid win or a draw and both teams to score – 5/6 with Tote
• Back under 7.5 shots on target for Real Madrid – 7/10 with BetMGM
• Tip Kylian Mbappe to score two or more goals – 15/8 with Sky Bet

Real Madrid vs Monaco odds

Find the latest Real Madrid vs Monaco betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Real Madrid vs Monaco predictions

There is always something going on at Real Madrid, but even by their standards the last couple of weeks have been hugely eventful.

After a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the final of the Supercopa de Espana, Madrid decided change was needed. Xabi Alonso was dismissed as their head coach soon after, bringing to an end his brief stint at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Excitement abounded when Madrid fought off competition from Liverpool and Bayern Munich to hire Alonso, who had marked himself out as a talented manager by winning the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen the season before last.

Alonso excelled at the BayArena, leading Leverkusen to a domestic double without losing a single match. It was an extraordinary achievement, even if that campaign ended in slight disappointment with defeat in the final of the Europa League.

Alonso also knew Madrid well from his time there as a player. He already had a relationship with Florentino Perez and other key figures at the club, while the success he enjoyed during his five years on Madrid’s books meant he had the backing of the fans upon his return in 2025.

However, the fit between Alonso and Madrid always looked like a potentially awkward one.

Like many modern coaches, Alonso is very hands-on. He believes in systems, structure and patterns of play. Like Pep Guardiola, the best manager in the world over the last two decades, Alonso likes to control as much as possible.

Madrid have not tended to respond particularly well to that sort of leader. Their two most successful managers since the turn of the century are Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, neither of whom is particularly intense.

Zidane and Ancelotti are expert man-managers, and while it would be wrong to say they do not possess tactical acumen, both men are willing to give their players a significant amount of agency. That works well at a club like Madrid, whose dressing room is routinely full of superstars and big personalities. 

The Blancos have chosen Alvaro Arbeloa as Alonso’s replacement – at least for now. Madrid did not call Arbeloa an ‘interim manager’ when his promotion was announced, although reports suggest Perez and co. are currently looking for a more experienced successor to Alonso.

But if Arbeloa makes a positive impression over the next few months, a longer deal would likely be in the offing.

Real Madrid vs Monaco betting tips

Real Madrid meet Monaco on Tuesday as the Champions League returns for matchday seven.

Goals at both ends

Arbeloa got his tenure off to the worst possible start as Real Madrid lost 3-2 to second-tier side Albacete in the Copa del Rey last week.

Crucially, the Blancos bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Levante in La Liga at the weekend.

Madrid deserve to be favourites against an inconsistent Monaco side, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility that they slip up on matchday seven.

A defeat is unlikely, but there is a decent chance Madrid will concede to Monaco, while a draw is not out of the question. This selection covers those bases – and all at a reasonable price.

Go for Real Madrid win or a draw and both teams to score at 5/6 with Tote

Monaco to be obdurate

Monaco’s six games in the league phase have produced just 15 goals, so we should not necessarily expect a high-scoring affair here.

Only matches involving Atalanta, Benfica, Athletic Bilbao, Paphos and Slavia Prague have featured fewer goals overall. 

Monaco will be tough to break down in parts of Tuesday’s encounter, so Real Madrid will have to remain patient.

The 15-time European champions are averaging 7.5 shots on target per European game this term, but they may fail to clear that hurdle this time around.

Back under 7.5 shots on target for Real Madrid at 7/10 with BetMGM

Brace for Mbappe?

Kylian Mbappe made his first steps as a professional footballer with Monaco.

As a teenage sensation, Mbappe shone as the principality club upset the odds to reach the last four of the Champions League in 2016/17. 

The France international is still waiting for his first taste of European glory, having left Paris Saint-Germain the summer before their recent triumph.

Mbappe has already scored nine goals in this season’s Champions League, putting him at the top of the scoring charts.

He can add another two (or perhaps even more) to his tally when he faces his former club on Tuesday.

Tip Kylian Mbappe to score two or more goals at 15/8 with Sky Bet

Real Madrid vs Monaco predicted lineups

• Real Madrid expected lineup: Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Garcia; Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Guler, Mbappe, Vinicius.
• Monaco expected lineup: Kohn; Vanderson, Kehrer, Dier, Henrique; Akliouche, Teze, Zakaria, Golovin; Balogun, Biereth.

Where to watch Real Madrid vs Monaco

• Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.
• Date and time: Tuesday 20th January, 8pm. 
• How to watch: TNT Sports 2 and TNT Sports 8.

More Champions League predictions

We have plenty more Champions League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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