Monaco vs Barcelona highlights, UEFA Champions League 2024-25: ASM 2-1 BAR; Ilenikhena scores winning goal

AS Monaco has bagged a well deserved victory in its openeing Champions League match in the new era of the tournament as it overpowers a 10-man Barcelona!!!

Free-kick for Barca in a dangerous position at the edge of the box.

Six minutes given as added time.

Ansu Fat is is being subbed on for the time since 2023.

Bolagun was through on goal and is brought down by Martinez inside the box. The ref says penalty. There is a VAR check and the verdict is no penalty!

Balogun gets the ball inside the box for Monaco as he fires a shot towards the near post but its palmed away by Ter Stegen!

Lamine Yamal has been subbed off as Flick is making big changes in the lineup!

Raphinha gets the ball in a golden position as he tries to beat his man in the final third but takes a bad touch and loses possession.

Ilenikhena gets a long ball at his feet as he beats Barca’s backline, uses his pace to dribble into the box and makes a powerful finish into the net!

Barcelona is constantly trying to play long balls into the box but both Raphinha and Lewandowski are unable to shake their markers.

Ben Serghin and Minamino have been subbed off for Monaco.

Monaco wins back-to-back corners but Barcelona manages to clear the ball away. They are still in immense pressure!

Ilenikhena comes in for Embolo.

Ter Stegen makes a spectacular save to keep Vanderson’s shot from distance out of his net.

Kounde plays a ball into the box from the right wing for Rapinha but the forward dails to touch the ball into the net and collides with the keeper.

Monaco has 12 shots so far while Barcelona only has 2 shots so far.

The game is all square at the moment as Barca is somehow holding the fort with one man down. Moanaco will try to spread the game more and use Barca’s tired legs in its advantage in the second half.

Monaco wins a corner in the dying embers of the first half. Two minutes given as added time!

Camara curls it into the box from a deep positon as the ball was almost met by Salisu inside the box but he misjudges the bounce and the ball goes behind for a corner.

The game is in a stalemate situation at the moment as both sides are tussling for possession in the midfield and are yet to make good breakthroughs in the final third.

Zakaria passes it to Minamino inside the box but his shot from a tight angle hits the side netting.

Pedri makes a sliding tackle on Embolo and they win a free-kick. The cross into the box is met by a solid finish into the back of the net but the ref calls it offiside!

Embolo takes a shot from the right but the ref says offside!

Rapinha squares it inside the box for Lewa but the keeper comes out to clear it. The ball lands to Balde on the rebound but he fails to get a good connection in front of an open net and the ball runs wide!

Lamine Yamal cuts in from the right, beats his marker as he takes a curling short and beats the keeper to bury it in the bottom right corner!

Minamino finds a through ball to Embolo beating Barca’s high offside trap but Ter Stegen sprints outside his box and clears it to safety!

Monaco on the front foot again as Vanderson gets the ball on the left flank and squares it to Camara at the edge of the box but his shot had the power, but lacked accuracy.

Basketball superstar Michael Jordan is in the stadium watching the match live in Monaco!!

Embolo was through on goal inside the box but the linesman says offside!

Monaco takes the lead as Akliouche dribbles from the right wing to cut in at the edge of the box and finish it in the near post. It looked too easy for the home side!!! 

Embolo gets the ball inside the box after a deflection from the Barca backline inside the box but the chance is squandered since the finish was too soft and into the keeper’s gloves.

Lewandowski threads it to Rapinha who has acres of space and was through on goal but the forward jogs, instead of pacing towards goal and takes too much time. The ball is stolen off of his feet from behind almost too easily.

Camara takes the free-kick from a dangerous position but the shot goes straight to the wall.

Ter Stegen plays the simplest of passes away to Embolo and Barca had to force a foul at the edge of the box to stop from conceding. However, Eric Garcia who made the tackle is sent off!!!!

First chance for Monaco as Ben Seghir cuts in from the right and takes a shot but straight to the keeper.

Barca launches an attack on the left wing as Rapinha threads it to Balde inside the box but the ball runs away out of bounds.

Monaco faces the mighty Catalan challenge however it will be fancying its chances since Barca is going through a bit of an injury crisis at the moment.

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Monaco: Kohn; Vanderson, Kehrer, Mawissa Elebi, Caio Henrique; Camara, Zakaria; Akliouche, Minamino, Ben Seghir; Embolo

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Balde; Eric Garcia, Pedri, Casado; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha

Barcelona travels to face AS Monaco in its opening 2024/25 Champions League fixture in the tournament’s new era.

Barca is in flying form with five out of five wins in La Liga however, the side’s injury concens are getting worse with each passing week. Recently, new signing Dani Olmo got injured for four-five weeks and he will be a big miss in the Catalan club’s starting lineup.

The La Liga leaders are without Olmo, and fellow midfielders Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal, as well as defenders Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen.

With three wins and a draw in Ligue 1, Monaco too is doing well standing third in the French league however, facing Barcelona in form is a big challenge and the home side will be hoping to give it all on the pitch.