Monaco stun 10-man Barcelona with 2-1 win in Champions League return

MONACO:

Barcelona endured a disappointing start to their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 defeat to AS Monaco on Thursday, compounded by the early dismissal of defender Eric Garcia.

The match at the Stade Louis II saw Garcia sent off just 11 minutes into the game for a foul on Monaco’s Takumi Minamino, who had a clear chance on goal following a misplaced pass by goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Reflecting on the incident, Ter Stegen told Movistar Plus, "We had a misunderstanding at that moment. I feel bad for Eric. We played 80 minutes with one less player. It’s part of football. The loss is painful because we gave our all and tried to salvage a point despite being down to 10 men."

Monaco capitalised on their numerical advantage, taking the lead five minutes later when Maghnes Akliouche slotted a low shot into the net. However, Barcelona responded in the 28th minute, with Lamine Yamal equalising from the edge of the penalty area.

Yamal’s goal made him the second-youngest scorer in Champions League history at 17 years and 68 days, behind his teammate Ansu Fati, who achieved the feat in 2019 at 17 years and 40 days.

Monaco continued to press, and their persistence paid off in the 71st minute when substitute George Ilenikhena fired past Ter Stegen to secure the victory. This match marked Monaco’s first appearance in the main stage of Europe’s top club competition in five years.

Barcelona’s manager, Hansi Flick, acknowledged the impact of Garcia’s red card, stating, "The game completely changed with the sending off. We defended with passion and made some mistakes, but we kept trying to score. Monaco deserved the win." He added, "Now we must come back stronger and prepare for Sunday’s La Liga game at Villarreal. We need to give our best and fight for the team."