Barcelona suffered a 2-1 defeat to Monaco in their Champions League opener on Thursday, with the match taking a turn early on when Eric Garcia received a red card.
The Catalan side, led by Hansi Flick, had entered the game with a flawless start to their La Liga campaign, boasting five consecutive wins. However, they found themselves struggling to find their rhythm against the resilient Ligue 1 team.
The decisive moment came just 11 minutes into the game when Garcia was sent off for pulling down Takumi Minamino as the former Liverpool midfielder charged toward the goal.
Maghnes Akliouche took advantage of the numerical superiority to put Monaco ahead six minutes later, skillfully maneuvering into the box and finding the back of the net with little resistance from the Barcelona defense.
Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal equalized with a stunning goal, showing his talent by cutting in from the right flank and firing a shot past the Monaco goalkeeper.
This remarkable feat made him the second youngest scorer in Champions League history, at just 17 years and 68 days old.
Ansu Fati, who still holds the record as the youngest scorer from his goal against Inter Milan in 2019, watched from the bench.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Barcelona pressed forward, with Alejandro Balde coming close but unable to find the target. Raphinha, who has been in fine form domestically, missed crucial opportunities to give his side the lead.
Monaco, however, remained dominant, and Breel Embolo’s shot forced a save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was also fortunate to see a goal from Wilfried Singo ruled out for offside.
The hosts eventually restored their lead in the 71st minute when Vanderson launched a long pass over Barcelona’s defense.
Substitute George Ilenikhena, the 18-year-old Nigerian forward, latched onto the ball, shrugged off Inigo Martinez’s challenge, and drilled his shot past Ter Stegen, who managed to get a hand on the ball but couldn’t prevent it from finding the net.
Ter Stegen redeemed himself with a stunning save to deny Folarin Balogun’s powerful strike shortly afterward.
Monaco thought they had a chance to extend their lead when Balogun was awarded a penalty after being brought down by Martinez, but a VAR review overturned the decision.
In a final bid to salvage a point, Flick introduced Ansu Fati for his first appearance since August 2023. However, Monaco held firm, securing a vital victory and delivering a stark reminder of Barcelona’s recent European struggles, particularly on the road.
The defeat comes as a significant blow to Barcelona’s Champions League campaign, as the team continues to grapple with consistency in continental competitions despite their strong domestic form.
