AS Monaco will host Barcelona at the Stade Louis II for their UEFA Champions League opener on Thursday. Both teams are undefeated in their league campaigns, with Monaco winning three of their four matches and Barcelona maintaining a perfect record so far. Let’s get into the details of the match and the predictions of the result of the game.
AS Monaco Vs Barcelona: Preview
The new UEFA Champions League season has kicked off with thrilling results on Matchday 1, and the excitement is set to continue as Barcelona prepare to take on AS Monaco in their first European clash of the season.
The Ligue 1 powerhouse has had a strong start to their campaign, securing three wins and a draw in their first four league matches. Monaco heads into this encounter with the Blaugrana fresh off a commanding 3-0 victory over Auxerre.
Despite Monaco’s dominant display, they are preparing to face Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, who have been in outstanding form during the 2024/25 season. Barcelona have won all five of their league matches so far, showcasing their dominance. AS Monaco will face a tough challenge against Flick’s side, who have been relentless in front of goal.
AS Monaco Vs Barcelona: Match Details
Match: Barcelona Vs AS Monaco
Date & Time: September 18, 2024 at 8 pm UK
Stadium: Stade Louis II stadium
AS Monaco Vs Barcelona: Team News, Stats & Head To Head
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Barcelona
Barcelona have been dealt a blow with the news that Dani Olmo will be sidelined until after the October international break due to a hamstring injury he suffered against Girona on Sunday, leaving Hansi Flick with limited midfield options.
Olmo joins a growing list of absentees at Barcelona, including Fermin Lopez, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Andreas Christensen. Ronald Araujo is also out with a hamstring injury, although he would have missed the game regardless due to his suspension from last season’s quarter-final red card against PSG.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski, who has scored eight Champions League goals since joining Barcelona, now has 94 overall and will aim to become the third player to reach 100 goals during this group stage.
AS Monaco
Lamine Camara is expected to return after suffering a concussion in the previous match. However, Edan Diop and Radoslaw Majecki remain out due to injuries. Other than those two, the rest of the squad is fit and ready to play.
AS Monaco will set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Philipp Kohn starting in goal. Vanderson, a highly sought-after player, will feature at right-back, while Caio Henrique will cover the left flank. In central defense, Thilo Kehrer will partner with Christian Mawissa Elebi. The backline will face a tough challenge against a team that has been scoring freely.
Head To Head
The two teams have faced each other only twice in competitive matches, both during the 1993-94 Champions League group stage, with Barcelona winning both games without conceding a goal. Monaco are returning to the Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2018-19 season, where they lost five of their six matches, scoring just twice.
Barcelona have won 20 of their last 28 Champions League openers and have maintained a 100% record this season, scoring 17 goals in five matches. Monaco, on the other hand, are winless in their last 14 Champions League games, with 11 defeats. The Blaugrana have scored at least two goals in their last seven away games, while Monaco have lost seven straight home matches in the competition, failing to score in four of them.
Possible Starting Lineup
Barcelona:Ter Stegen; Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Balde; Eric Garcia, Pedri, Casado; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha
AS Monaco:Kohn; Vanderson, Kehrer, Mawissa Elebi, Caio Henrique; Camara, Zakaria; Akliouche, Minamino, Ben Seghir; Embolo
Monaco Vs Barcelona: Prediction
AS Monaco may have had an impressive start to the new season, but they will face a red-hot Barcelona side under Hansi Flick. Despite missing several key players, Barcelona will still have the strength to kick off their UEFA campaign with a victory on Matchday. They have a perfect record so far, and that won’t be changing any time soon.
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