Monaco hopes on the line at Besiktas

On Wednesday, Monaco will play for their Champions League survival at Vodafone Park, the Besiktas stadium, one of the most intimidating places in Europe.

The sensations of the competition last season, reaching the semifinals with great attacking football, the French champions could be knocked out after just four matches this campaign. They have been as disappointing as Besiktas have been exceptional in Group G. They are bottom with just one point, trailing Porto by two, Leipzig by three and their next opponents by eight.

The opening 1-1 draw away in Leipzig was not a bad result despite RB's lack of experience at this level. However, it was followed by two defeats at home, a 3-0 loss against Porto where Leonardo Jardim's men were outmuscled and then 2-1 against Besiktas a fortnight ago where they were a bit more unlucky with the referee allowing an offside goal for the Turkish side who were, nevertheless, more clinical and better organised.

Radamel Falcao & Co. have not performed well enough so far. They have defended badly, individually and collectively: with six goals conceded already, compared to two at this stage last season in a tougher group that included Tottenham, Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Monaco.

They have also struggled in attack, lacking creativity and imagination, with only a goal from Youri Tielemans in the first game and one for Falcao two weeks ago. That's why they find themselves in such a bad position going into the fourth match in need of a win.

FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images

The summer departures of Benjamin Mendy, Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and Tiemoue Bakayoko, all key players, was always going to hurt the team. The 4-4-2 formation which was perfectly tailored for the squad last season has not worked as well at all this time around. Jardim has switched to a 4-2-3-1 in the last five games. There has been some improvement, especially in midfield where Monaco are less overran and more balanced, but the team are still a work in progress.

The biggest problem is that the remaining stars in the squad, Falcao excluded, have not been playing at their true level. Jemerson and Kamil Glik, the two centre-backs, have been a shambles -- nothing like the solid pairing they were last season. Going forward, Thomas Lemar has been disappointing too. He started well and was amazing with France in August in a 4-0 win against Netherlands, scoring twice. But then he got injured and he has struggled to get back to his best. Djibril Sidibe and Fabinho have also performed way below the level they were at last season. The French full-back has cost his team goals while the Brazilian midfielder is not protecting his back four and breaking the opposition's attacks like he used to.

The rare satisfaction so far has been Falcao. With 13 goals already in all competitions, he has netted half of his team's goals. He has carried the side alone in many games but he won't play on Wednesday in the biggest one of the season so far. The Colombian, the club's captain, is out injured and will miss Monaco's second game in a row after the one away at Bordeaux on Saturday. Yet his team won at the weekend with a convincing performance, thanks to a goal from Lemar and another from their new star Keita Balde.

The Senegalese international, signed from Lazio in the summer for €30 million, arrived in the Principality out of form so the club slowly got him fit to get him ready. With two goals and two assists in his last four matches in all competitions, he has been Monaco's best player. He will start up front in Jardim's 4-2-3-1 formation on Wednesday and his pace and power will be the French champions' biggest asset in a game they will have to win.

Monaco treated us to great European displays last season and in 2014-15, where they reached the quarterfinals. They have to get back to this level to stay alive in the Champions League.

Wednesday is a huge game for their season. They have often delivered under Jardim, especially when they had their backs to the wall. Let's see if they have the mental strength to do it away in Turkey on Wednesday.

It is time for this Monaco side to show how strong they are.