CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: BARCELONA STUNNED BY AS MONACO, ARSENAL HELD BY ATALANTA
FC Barcelona and Arsenal didn't have the best of starts to their Champions League campaign on September 19, Thursday.Barcelona stumbled in their Champions League opener with a 2-1 defeat to AS Monaco on Thursday, a match that quickly unravelled after an early setback due to Eric Garcia's red card. The game took a disastrous turn just 11 minutes in when Garcia was sent off for a foul on Monaco's Takumi Minamino, who had been put through on goal following a wayward pass from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Monaco capitalised on their numerical advantage almost immediately, with Maghnes Akliouche netting a low-driven shot to give the hosts a 1-0 lead just five minutes later. Barcelona fought back, leveling the score in the 28th minute thanks to Lamine Yamal's composed strike from the edge of the box. However, Monaco's pressure eventually paid off in the second half when substitute George Ilenikhena found the back of the net in the 71st minute, securing a memorable victory for the French side in their first Champions League group stage appearance in five years.
David Raya saves Arsenal
Arsenal earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Atalanta in their Champions League opener on Thursday, with goalkeeper David Raya playing a crucial role in securing the point. The Spaniard made a brilliant save in the 51st minute, diving to his right to deny Mateo Retegui from the penalty spot. Raya's heroics didn't stop thereâhe immediately reacted to block Retegui's follow-up header, keeping the match level.
Despite relentless pressure from Atalanta inside a lively Stadio di Bergamo, Arsenal held firm defensively while posing occasional threats on the counterattack. Bukayo Saka came closest to breaking the deadlock for the visitors, forcing a strong save from Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi with a first-half free kick. Gabriel Martinelli also had a rare chance after the break but fired over the bar, as Mikel Arteta's side settled for a point in a gritty away performance.
Champions League: Other results
The other results on Thursday saw Atletico Madrid edge past RB Leipzig, thanks to a 90th minute winner from Jose Maria Gimenez. Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen put 4 past Feyenoord in a dominant performance, while Benfica and Brest also secured wins on the night.
2024-09-20T03:09:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd