The UEFA Champions League continues on Thursday, Sept. 19 with the last day of Matchday 1 under the new format with AS Monaco and FC Barcelona taking the pitch at Stade Louis-II in Monaco, France. The match is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on TUDN and UniMás. Fans looking to watch can do so through FuboTV, which offers a free trial and $30 off your first month, or DirecTV Stream, which also offers a free trial. SlingTV doesn’t offer a free trial but does have other promotional offers available. Paramount+ offers exclusive live streams and on-demand replays of all UEFA Champions League matches and when you sign up, you get a free week trial.
This is the first year with the new league phase format instead of a Group Stage at the UEFA Champions League, along with the other UEFA tournaments. Starting with the 2024-25 competition, the tournament increases to 36 teams instead of 32, with each team playing eight matches against two teams from each the four seeding groups. It will also feature a playoff phase that includes 16 teams fighting for the final eight spots in the knockout phase, which starts in the Round of 16. The top eight in the table are automatically placed in the Round of 16 while ninth through 24th compete in the playoff, with the bottom 12 teams being eliminated.
When Matchday 2 comes around in early October, Barcelona will take on Young Boys and AS Monaco will go against GNK Dinamo.
Monaco vs. Barcelona: A Tale of Two Teams
AS Monaco and FC Barcelona come into this match at very different points in their seasons. Monaco is a young, fast, and exciting team that has made a strong start to the Ligue 1 season. They have been playing with a lot of attacking flair and have a number of talented players in their ranks. Barcelona, on the other hand, is a team in transition. They have a new manager in Xavi Hernandez and are still trying to find their best form. They have been playing well in La Liga, but they will need to be at their best to get a result against Monaco.
The Importance of the Match
This match is important for both teams for different reasons. For Monaco, it is a chance to make a statement on the European stage. They are looking to prove that they are a team to be reckoned with. For Barcelona, it is a chance to start their Champions League campaign on the right foot. They are looking to make a deep run in the competition and will need to be careful not to slip up in their opening game.
Key Players to Watch
There are a number of key players to watch in this match. For Monaco, the main threat will come from their attacking players. They have a number of talented forwards, including Maghnes Akliouche, Takumi Minamino, and Breel Embolo. For Barcelona, the key players to watch are their experienced stars. They have a number of world-class players in their ranks, including Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Lamine Yamal. This is Yamal's first ever UEFA Champions League appearance and he has been in red-hot form for Barcelona at the start of the season.
The Battle of the Midfields
The midfield battle is likely to be crucial in this match. Monaco has a strong midfield that is known for its physicality and work rate. Barcelona has a more technical midfield that is known for its passing and creativity. This is where Barcelona will have to be careful. Monaco will likely press high and try to force Barcelona into mistakes. The Blaugrana will have to keep possession and play a controlled game if they want to dominate the midfield.
Who Will Win?
This is a difficult match to call. Monaco is a dangerous team that is capable of beating anyone on their day. Barcelona is a team with a lot of quality, but they are still trying to find their best form. Ultimately, the winner will be the team that can impose its will on the other and play with more intensity. However, a draw seems like the most likely result.
The New Format
The new Champions League format is a significant change for the competition. It is designed to make the competition more exciting and unpredictable, and to give more teams a chance to reach the knockout stages. The new format has already been met with mixed reactions, with some fans welcoming the changes and others feeling that the old format was better.
The New Format is a Game Changer
One of the biggest changes to the new format is the introduction of a league phase. This means that all 36 teams in the competition will play eight matches against eight different opponents. The top eight teams in the league table will then qualify for the knockout stages. The rest of the teams will compete in a playoff round to decide the remaining eight places in the knockout stages. This new format is set to create a lot of excitement and drama, and is sure to be a big talking point amongst fans of the game.
Final Thoughts
The first matchday of the Champions League League Phase has already brought us some surprises, and the new format is showing signs of being a great success. With a new wave of teams, the new format adds another layer of excitement to what was already the premier club competition in the world. The match between Monaco and Barcelona will be a great test for both teams. It will be a fascinating match to watch, and it is sure to be a close encounter. If Barcelona can overcome the challenge of playing with 10 men for the majority of the match, then they should be able to come away with a result.
The Latest From the Match
WELCOME TO THE STADE LOUIS II!!! The charming home of AS Monaco in the beautiful Principality of Monaco, France is the site of the opening Champions League clash between the hosts and Barcelona, who look to maintain their perfect record to begin the season and start a new European journey in the competition’s new League Phase format with three points against a young, fast, good Monaco side that beat Barça in the Blaugrana’s final preseason game. This should be all kinds of fun, and you’re welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. Vamos!
(Note: the comments will be opened only when the team news come out, because our commenter people love commenting and sometimes there are too many comments in the comments section)
KICKOFF! Monaco 0-0 Barcelona: And we’re underway in Monaco!
11’ RED CARD: Barça are down to 10 men as Eric García is shown a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity with a foul on Takumi Minamino. Marc-André ter Stegen put Eric in a tough spot with a bad pass, and García took one for the team to avoid an early goal.
16’ GOAL, Monaco 1-0 Barcelona (Akliouche): Monaco take the lead. A long ball from left to right finds Maghnes Akliouche in space, and the young winger cuts inside on his left foot and finds the net for the home team.
28’ GOAL!!!! Monaco 1-1 Barcelona (Yamal): BARÇA EQUALIZE!!! Marc Casadó plays a gorgeous ball over the top to find Lamine Yamal, who cuts inside and finds the bottom corner to score his first career Champions League goal!!!
35’ GOAL DISALLOWED: Wilfried Singo finds the net for Monaco on a free-kick, but the goal is correctly ruled out for offside.
HALFTIME, Monaco 1-1 Barcelona: A wild and chaotic first half ends with two goals, a red card, plenty of fouls and physicality and a Barça team that is competing as hard as they can with 10 men. There is still 45 minutes to go, and Hansi Flick now has a chance to organize and rally his troops at the break to try and salvage at least a point.
SECOND HALF KICKOFF! Monaco 1-1 Barcelona: Back underway in Monaco!
This match is still very much alive and could go either way, with Barcelona needing to find another goal and Monaco needing to find a way to get past Barcelona's defense. We will have to wait and see who will come out on top in the second half.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Barça's Start to the Season
While this new format makes it difficult to make comparisons, Barcelona are still a team in transition. They've been playing well in La Liga, though, and are currently sitting top of the table. The new season is promising for the Blaugrana, and if they can pick up the pace in the Champions League, they could be in for a special year.
