Monaco will host a hungry Barcelona team fresh off a 3-0 victory in the Joan Gamper Trophy in early August. That win was a significant moment for the Monegasques, who now find themselves in a strong position after an undefeated start to their league campaign.
Monaco secured victories against AS Saint-Étienne (1-0) and Lyon (2-0) before being held to a 1-1 draw against Lens before the international break. Now, they look to return to winning ways against Auxerre as Ligue 1 resumes after the break.
Barcelona, quarter-finalists in last season’s Champions League, faced a tough exit against PSG, with Araujo’s red card proving costly.
Still, under Xavi’s guidance at the time, they reached the Champions League’s top eight after two disappointing group-stage eliminations in previous years. This season, under the leadership of Hansi Flick, Barcelona has been perfect in La Liga, winning all four of their matches before the international break.
Their wins came against Valladolid (7-0), Rayo Vallecano (2-1), Athletic Bilbao (2-1), and Valencia (2-1). Last weekend, the Blaugrana traveled to Girona for their next La Liga test.
Monaco will be without key players Coulibaly and young Edan Diop for this Champions League clash, but those are their only major absences.
Coach Hütter can still rely on talents like Folarin Balogun (7 goals, 5 assists last season), Magassa, rising star Ben Seghir (19), Minamino (9 goals, 6 assists last season), and Swiss international Breel Embolo.
For Barcelona, injuries continue to be an issue, with Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, Araujo, Bernal, and Christensen all ruled out. There are also doubts surrounding Yamal and Dani Olmo, though Ansu Fati, who returned from loan at Brighton, is back in training but remains uncertain to feature.
Despite the setbacks, Hansi Flick can count on Robert Lewandowski, who has regained his goal-scoring form with four goals in La Liga, and Brazilian international Raphinha, who is returning to his best with three goals and two assists.
Prediction
Monaco’s recent home matches suggest this game may not see many goals, with 16 of their last 19 home fixtures producing under 3.5 goals. Similarly, 14 of Barcelona’s last 16 Champions League matches have seen fewer than 3.5 goals.
With both teams having their share of injuries and defensive strengths, a close contest seems likely.
Prediction: Monaco 1-1 Barcelona
