Monaco (AFP)

Monaco, who beat Sparta Prague (3-1, 2-0 in the first leg) on ​​Tuesday evening in the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League, will be opposed, from next Tuesday, to the Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in the play-offs of the competition.

Thanks to this success built mainly after the break, the Louis-II stadium will experience another great European evening, against a regular in the C1.

With more intensity and certainly more electricity.

Because to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League - and ensure in passing at least 30 million euros in income - Niko Kovac's team will have to raise its level of play.

The opposition will undoubtedly be more fierce than that proposed by Sparta Prague, sometimes attractive and always combative but too limited to recover the two goals conceded in the first leg.

- Nübel feverish -

However, Sparta could have surprised Monaco from the first seconds of the game.

As usual, Alexander Nübel wanted to restart short.

Fofana, under pressure, directly served Czech captain David Pavelka, who totally missed his shot (1st).

Later, despite Kovac's desire to see his German goalkeeper lengthen and take no more risks, the latter lost the ball on another short raise.

Without consequence however, because Axel Disasi, then Benoît Badiashile made up for his mistake (14th).

Abused, Monaco ultimately created opportunities only on counters.

Monegasque goalkeeper Alexander Nübel bows on a goal from David Moberg Karlsson of Sparta, August 10, 2021 to Louis II Valery HACHE AFP

First by Volland, who, well launched by Golovin, lost his face-to-face with Florin Nita (21st).

The German, in the process, forced, with an attempt from 20 meters, the Romanian goalkeeper of Sparta to relax to deflect the ball for a corner (23rd).

Then, by WBY, launched from afar by Volland.

Despite his passing of legs, the French international showed that he was far from his best form, and was countered by David Hancko (34th).

Finally Nita was masterful on a curled shot from the right of Golovin, taking off to get the ball in the skylight (45th + 1).

- Gelson Martins reassures -

Without a doubt, Kovac put a few heads right side up at the break.

Because Monaco returned to play a real European Cup match in the second period.

In six minutes, the Principality's team closed the case.

After a new stop by Nita on Volland (48th), after an off-target recovery from Aurélien Tchouameni (49th), Gelson Martins was late following a one-two with Volland to finally beat Nita, who had anticipated a center (1-0, 50th).

Portuguese AS Monaco midfielder Gelson Martins opened the scoring against Sparta Prague at Louis II, August 10, 2021 Valery HACHE AFP

Reassured, Monaco then mastered the meeting.

Ben Yedder's pass for Golovin in the box allowed the Russian to double the bet (2-0, 56th).

Kovac, who knows five new matches await his players in August, then made his five changes.

But the match was involuntarily restarted by Nübel, who, by missing a new short restart, destabilized his team and allowed David Karlsson to score (2-1, 78th).

Very quickly, Sofiane Diop, just entered, offered a series of high performance, which this time sealed the match (3-1, 81st).

And the Monaco meeting with the Shakhtar, who got rid of the Belgians from Genk.

© 2021 AFP