Monaco pulled off a great performance by beating FC Barcelona (2-1) on the first day of the Champions League. Despite a goal from Lamine Yamal, the French were able to take advantage of their numerical superiority by playing more than 80 minutes with 11 against 10.
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Basketball legend, American Michael Jordan, present in the stands of the Stade Louis II in Monaco must have enjoyed the spectacle. On its pitch, the French club Monaco delighted its supporters by taking the scalp of a European giant, FC Barcelona (2-1). But Barcelona fans must be thinking that the outcome of the match would have been completely different without the very early expulsion (10th minute) of Éric Garcia, guilty of a foul as the last defender on the Japanese Takumi Minamino. Six minutes later, Maghnes Akliouche, receiving a crossbar from Vanderson, fixed the full-back Baldé, before beating Ter Stegen to open the scoring (16th).
Brest makes a successful entry
Barça is KO! But that’s forgetting that it has in its ranks a genius who has more than one trick up his sleeve: Lamine Yamal. All it took was one action at the revelation of the last Euro 2024 to equalize on his special: come back on his left foot and close it at the moment of the strike (28th). The Monaco goalkeeper who expected the Spanish left-hander to open his foot, is surprised. New star of Spanish football, Lamine Yamal finally scores his first goal in the Champions League.
A small blow to the head of the French who, despite better possession of the ball, cannot get past the defense led by Inigo Martinez, and when they do, Ter Stegen, the German goalkeeper intervenes. New blood will be needed in the second half to allow AS Monaco to snatch victory and not end with regrets. It is finally George Ilenikhena, Franco-Nigerian, born 18 years ago in Lagos, who delivers his team by winning his one-on-one against Ter Stegen (71st).
The evening was also a success for the other French club, Brest, who were discovering the Champions League. The Breton club won their first victory in the C1 by beating the Austrian team Sturm Graz (2-1) thanks to goals from Hugo Magnetti and Senegalese Abdallah Sima.
In the other matches, Atlético Madrid won at home (2-1) after being led by RB Leipzig. For their part, Arsenal were held to a draw by Atalalanta Bergamo (0-0).
Results of the first day
Thursday September 19
Red Star Belgrade-Benfica 1-2
Feyenoord Rotterdam-Bayer Leverkusen 0-4
Monaco-FC Barcelona 2-1
Brest – Sturm Graz 2-1
Atalanta Bergamo-Arsenal 0-0
Atlético de Madrid-RB Leipzig 2-1
Wednesday September 18
Bologna-Shakhtar Donetsk 0-0
Sparta Prague-Red Bull Salzburg 3-0
Celtic Glasgow-Slovan Bratislava 5-1
Club Brugge-Dortmund 0-3
Manchester City-Inter Milan 0-0
PSG-Gerona 1-0
Tuesday September 17
Juventus Turin-PSV Eindhoven 3-1
Young Boys Bern-Aston Villa 0-3
AC Milan-Liverpool 1-3
Real Madrid-Stuttgart 3-1
Bayern Munich Dinamo-Zagreb 8-2
Sporting Portugal-Lille 2-0