• Champions League

'Monaco have 50/50 chance of beating Arsenal'

Monaco midfielder Jeremy Toulalan believes his side have "a 50/50 chance" of beating Arsenal in their Champions League last 16 tie.

Monday morning's draw in Nyon, Switzerland ensured Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will head back to the club with which he won the Ligue 1 title in 1988.

Though they qualified for the knockout stages as group winners while Arsenal were only runners-up, the principality club will be considered by many as outsiders when the pair meet on February 25 in London and March 17 at the Stade Louis II.

Radamel Falcao's header saw Monaco beat Arsenal in pre-season © PA Photos

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But last season's Ligue 1 runners-up defeated Arsenal in the pre-season Emirates Cup tournament, and Toulalan told believes they can match their Premier League opponents.

"We did well against them in pre-season, though this will be a completely different challenge. For me, we have a 50/50 chance. It'll make Arsene Wenger happy, I think, to come back here, as well as the French players in the squad.

"The Arsenal players are technically gifted and fleet of mind and foot. Of course it'll be difficult. I know Olivier Giroud well, it'll be nice to come up against him on the pitch. We'll go to the Emirates with our strengths. We're not an easy team to play against. We'll have freshness and insouciance on our side."

Though they have struggled in Ligue 1 for much of the first half of the season, the principality club have shown signs of recovery in recent weeks. Last week's 2-0 win over Zenit St. Petersburg was followed by a 1-0 defeat of French top-flight leaders Marseille on Sunday as Leonardo Jardim's men registered a fourth straight win in all competitions.

Despite their upturn in fortunes, Jardim is pessimistic about his team's chances of springing an upset against Wenger's men.

"Arsenal are a very good team. They are used to this kind of game, which is why I feel they are favourites. Arsenal have a lot of quality players like Olivier Giroud or Alexis Sanchez. Whatever happens, we'll play to win as we always do."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd