Barcelona suffered a 2-1 defeat to Monaco in their Champions League opener on Thursday, hampered by an early red card to Eric Garcia. Despite starting the La Liga season with five consecutive wins, Hansi Flick’s side struggled against the Ligue 1 outfit.
Garcia was sent off in the 11th minute for pulling down Takumi Minamino, allowing Maghnes Akliouche to put Monaco ahead. Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal equalized with a superb strike, but George Ilenikhena sealed the win for Monaco in the 71st minute.
Monaco coach Adi Hutter expressed pride in beating one of Europe’s biggest clubs, praising his team’s courage and numerous chances. Meanwhile, Barcelona, last European champions in 2015, continue to struggle away from home in the competition.
Flick acknowledged the impact of the early red card but saw positives in his team’s efforts, noting they defended and attacked as a unit despite the numerical disadvantage. A defensive error from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen led to Garcia’s dismissal, and the Barcelona keeper later admitted his role in the incident.
Yamal’s goal made him the second-youngest scorer in Champions League history at 17 years and 68 days, while Ansu Fati, the record-holder, watched from the bench.
Although Barcelona pushed for an equalizer, Monaco’s Ilenikhena scored the decisive goal, with Ter Stegen’s attempted save deflecting the ball into the net. A late penalty decision for Monaco was overturned by VAR, and Barcelona’s efforts to level the score, including Fati’s late appearance, fell short.
Ter Stegen lamented the loss, stating, “In the end, you feel bad about not taking any points.”
