Barcelona kicked off their 2024-25 UEFA Champions League journey with a chaotic 2-1 loss to AS Monaco on Thursday, leaving fans stunned after an early red card turned the match upside down 🌪️.
Early Chaos at Stade Louis II
Defender Eric Garcia’s nightmare began just 11 minutes in when a botched pass from goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen left him scrambling. His last-ditch foul on Monaco’s Takumi Minamino earned a straight red card 🟥, forcing Barça to play nearly the entire match a man down.
Monaco Strikes First 🎯
Maghnes Akliouche capitalized on the chaos, slotting a low shot past Ter Stegen at 16 minutes. But Barça’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal fired back with a dazzling strike from the edge of the box at 28', leveling the score 💥.
‘It Hurts,’ Says Ter Stegen
The German keeper admitted post-match: ‘We didn’t understand each other… With 10 men, we gave our all.’ Despite Barça’s gritty effort, Monaco sealed the win with a second-half goal, leaving the Catalan giants empty-handed 👜.
Can Xavi’s squad bounce back? Group stage drama continues next week! ⏳
