Barcelona Stumbles in UCL Opener Against Monaco

Barcelona’s Champions League journey kicked off with a rocky start, falling 2-1 to Monaco in a match full of drama. Eric Garcia saw red early on, leaving the Catalans to fight uphill with ten men for nearly 80 minutes. It was a hard pill to swallow.

Monaco capitalized fast. Maghnes Akliouche broke through, scoring after Garcia’s dismissal for a foul on Takumi Minamino. Barcelona’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal, brought a glimmer of hope with a stunning equalizer, becoming the second-youngest scorer in UCL history at just 17 years old. Yet, Monaco had the last laugh.

With just 20 minutes left, George Ilenikhena netted the winner, catching Marc-Andre ter Stegen off guard with a low shot. The Barcelona goalkeeper, who had earlier put Garcia in a tough spot with a risky pass, admitted to the mistake. The final blow? A disallowed penalty for Monaco after VAR review.

Despite a spirited effort, Barcelona’s European struggles continue. Hansi Flick’s men will need to regroup fast as they face a long road ahead.

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