Monaco vs Zenit St Petersburg preview - Jardim just wants to go through

Posted Tuesday, December 09, 2014 by PA

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim is only focused on qualification and not securing top spot in UEFA Champions League Group C when his side face Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday.

Zenit and Monaco are battling to join Bayer Leverkusen in qualifying from the group, with the winner progressing - or Monaco in the case of a draw.

Monaco's five matches in the competition to date have seen only three goals, with October's first meeting in St Petersburg finishing 0-0.

"The most important thing is to think about qualification, not the first or second place in the group," Jardim said in his pre-match press conference.

"The important thing is to think that the qualification is possible with a good mentality and a strong organisation.

"It would be very good for the players, staff, supporters but also French football to qualify."

Jardim also backed striker Dimitar Berbatov to star for the Ligue 1 side against the Russian opposition.

"Berbatov is a major player with great experience. Tomorrow he will be there to help the team," Jardim added.

Defender Layvin Kurzawa and midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia are working to recover from their respective hamstring and thigh injuries.

Full-back Elderson will have a scan on Tuesday on an abdominal injury but Ricardo Carvalho is available.

Zenit manager Andre Villas-Boas knows only a win is good enough in the principality.

"Nobody plays to draw, but it's tough to play when you know it is enough to draw," the Portuguese said, "so it is important for us to have a strategy when you know that you have to attack to score to go through.

"Of course it's better to maybe have more options, but for us only one result will count - a win. I think that this will really help drive us for the next game."

Villas-Boas hopes to have Aleksandr Kerzhakov available and Ezequiel Garay and Javi Garcia should also be fit to play.