Liga Champions | 20 January 2026 | 64

Where to Watch Real Madrid vs AS Monaco January 2026

Mansion Sports – The 2025/2026 Champions League once again presents a major storyline, this time with the main focus on the emotional meeting between Kylian Mbappe and his former club.

Kylian Mbappe becomes the center of attention as he faces his former club when Real Madrid host Monaco in the league phase of the Champions League.

The match is scheduled to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 21:00 local time.

Los Blancos are preparing for their first European night under the guidance of Alvaro Arbeloa, while their opponents from Ligue 1 are not yet fully safe from the threat of an early elimination.

Before the match kicks off, review the recommendations from Mansion Sports on where to watch Real Madrid vs AS Monaco January 2026 so you do not miss the exciting action.

Team Conditions Ahead of the Match

Real Madrid

In a match that proved to be Xabi Alonso’s final Champions League game as Real Madrid manager, Manchester City inflicted a 2-1 home defeat on Los Blancos, following Arsenal, who had previously handed the Spanish giants their second loss in three matches.

Still reeling from a painful 1-0 defeat at the home of Alonso’s former club Liverpool, Real Madrid, who once dominated the European stage, are now far from guaranteed a place in the round of 16, despite winning their opening three matches of the tournament.

Twelve points from a possible 18 are enough to place them seventh in the standings, which is actually sufficient for direct qualification to the round of 16, but being forced into the playoffs would be consistent with the turmoil that has surrounded the Spanish capital this season.

However, Arbeloa managed to restore calm after a shocking Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Albacete by overseeing a comfortable 2-0 La Liga victory over Levante last Saturday, leaving Los Blancos just one point behind league leaders Barcelona, who face Real Sociedad on Sunday.

The win over Levante marked Real Madrid’s third consecutive home victory at the Bernabeu, and further encouragement came from the 26 shots registered by the hosts, the third-highest tally by a debut Real Madrid coach in La Liga since the 2003-04 season.

Real Madrid’s defeat to Manchester City also affected their squad situation, as left-back Alvaro Carreras received his third yellow card of the league phase and must serve a suspension for Tuesday’s match.

The former Manchester United academy player joins Eder Militao (hamstring), Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh), Rodrygo (discomfort), Ferland Mendy (calf), and Antonio Rudiger (knee) on Real Madrid’s injury list, while Brahim Diaz has also yet to return from Africa Cup of Nations duty.

However, former Monaco star Mbappe has recovered from a knee issue to start and score against Levante, and the French forward is now determined to add to his tally of nine Champions League goals this season, which already represents the best return of his career.

AS Monaco

Only three points separate Real Madrid and Monaco in the 36-team league-phase standings, but there is also a gap of 12 places between them, as Les Monegasques seek to avoid an early exit from the tournament.

Sebastien Pocognoli’s side arrive at this match having suffered fewer defeats than Los Blancos, losing only their opening game against Club Brugge, and since then they have found their European rhythm by remaining unbeaten in their last five Champions League matches.

Monaco most recently defeated Galatasaray 1-0 thanks to a goal from Folarin Balogun, lifting them to 19th place in the standings, which is enough to secure an unseeded playoff spot when the league phase concludes.

However, another difficult test against Juventus still awaits Pocognoli’s side, who have also been plagued by inconsistency across all competitions recently, recording three wins and three defeats from their last six matches.

One of those defeats came just last Friday, a surprising 3-1 home loss to Lorient in Ligue 1, while their only previous Champions League meeting with Real Madrid took place in the 2003-04 season, when Monaco famously eliminated Los Blancos in the quarter-finals on away goals.

Regarding squad conditions, Monaco have no suspension issues ahead of their trip to the Bernabeu, but Balogun was the latest withdrawal after picking up an injury in the defeat to Lorient on Friday; his potential absence would be a significant blow, given that the United States international has scored in each of his last three Champions League appearances.

Ansu Fati and Mika Biereth are capable alternatives, but Balogun has been named in the traveling squad and is therefore expected to be fit enough to start.

On the injury front, Paul Pogba is unavailable due to a calf problem, while Lukas Hradecky (knee), Christian Mawissa (hamstring), Takumi Minamino (knee), and Mohammed Salisu (knee) also remain sidelined.

The Senegalese duo Krepin Diatta and Lamine Camara are set to return from the Africa Cup of Nations, but neither has any chance of being fit for Tuesday’s match, which takes place just two days after the final against Morocco.