Champions League draw results 2017: Borussia Dortmund vs. Monaco, Europe’s most talented young teams collide

Borussia Dortmund and Monaco are two of Europe’s most watchable sides, so their Champions League quarterfinal tie should provide ample entertainment. Coaches Thomas Tuchel and Leonardo Jardim both favour attack over defence and have some of the world’s top young talents at their disposal. Goals are to be expected.

Borussia Dortmund haven’t always been at their best this season, but a certain amount of inconsistency is to be expected with a team so young. Attackers Christian Pulisic and Ousmane Dembélé are just 18 and 19 years old respectively, yet both have played an instrumental role in Tuchel’s first team. They don’t always click, but when they do, it’s with spectacular consequences. Just ask Benfica, who were thrashed 4-0 on their visit to the Westfalenstadion in the first knockout round.

Key player: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

At 27, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of Dortmund’s most experienced heads. The Gabonese forward has been in lethal goalscoring form so far this season, averaging a goal every game in both the Bundesliga and Champions League. His blistering pace ensures that he’s capable of turning a game in an instant, and Dortmund will be relying on him to take his chances against a capable Monaco.

Make no mistake: Monaco are one of the Champions League’s most dangerous sides. They may have a young team, but their selection of future stars could become household names sooner than you’d expect. Playing attractive attacking football, Jardim’s side have established themselves as one of the neutrals’ favourites, especially after eliminating Manchester City in a 12-goal first knockout round thriller. They’re sure to cause problems for Dortmund, though their defensive fragility remains a slight concern.

Key player: Fabinho

Brazilian youngster Fabinho started out as a full-back, though it didn’t take Jardim to realise his potential as a central midfielder. Over the last couple of seasons, he’s established himself as an effective box-to-box marauder and has gone on to pick up four international caps since his debut in 2015. Expect to see him be plundered by one of Europe’s giants in the near future.

This game really could go either way; there certainly is no clear favourite. However, at the moment it seems like Monaco are the more cohesive and consistent of the two teams, which leads us to think they may just have enough to scrape through. Expect plenty of goals, with Monaco making it into the semis.