AS Monaco beat Barcelona in their opening match of the Champions League campaign, with goals from Maghnes Akliouche (16′) and substitute George Ilenikhena (71′), either side of a strike by Lamine Yamal (28′), giving the Ligue 1 side victory over the Catalan giants.
The task the home side faced in this match was made notably easier by Barcelona defender Eric Garcia earning a straight red card less than 10 minutes in.
Monaco’s triumph was certainly deserved, but the general feeling is that Barcelona were the team which influenced the outcome more.
The teams
Both teams were arranged in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Monaco boss Adi Hutter had Philipp Kohn in goal, with Thilo Kehrer and Mohammed Salisu forming the centre-back partnership, while Wilfried Singo and Vanderson covered the defensive flanks. Denis Zakaria and Lamine Camara paired up in the middle of the park, while the trio of Akliouche, Takumi Minamino and Eliesse Ben Seghir supported striker Breel Embolo.
Meanwhile, Hansi Flick in the away dugout named Marc-Andre ter Stegen between the posts. Inigo Martinez joined Pau Curbasi in the heart of defence, with Alejandro Balde on the left and Jules Kounde on the right. Garcia, though usually a defender, played in midfield, along side Marc Casado. In the absence of the injured Dani Olmo, Pedri operated a little further up in the No. 10 role, with Yamal and Raphinha attacking from the flanks, and Robert Lewandowski playing as the focal point in attack.
Ter Stegen’s mistakes to blame for Barcelona defeat
Ter Stegen is, of course, a world-class goalkeeper who has rightly inherited the role of Germany’s No. 1 from Manuel Neuer after the Euros this year. He now has 42 caps for his country, and with 419 matches for Barcelona under his belt, along with five La Liga titles and a Champions League medal to his name, the 32-year-old certainly boasts plenty of top-level experience. However, all those achievements only make the mistakes he made in this…
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Author : Veselin Trajkovic
Publish date : 2024-09-20 17:13:04
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