After getting off to to a flying start in La Liga, Barcelona fans were expecting their club to do something similar in the UEFA Champions League.
Unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition.
La Blaugrana were beaten 2-1 by AS Monaco at a surprisingly packed Stade Louis II on Thursday evening, with a 71st-minute goal from George Ilenikhena proving to be the difference between the two sides.
Here’s one winner and two losers from a bad defeat for Barca in the Champions League, according to 90min’s esteemed player ratings.
Lamine Yamal: 8/10
Although Barca were beaten, Lamine Yamal’s stock continued to rise on Thursday evening.
The 17-year-old was, once again, absolutely sensational.
After using his body cleverly to steal in behind Vanderson on the right flank, the youngster cut in on his favoured left foot and drilled the ball beautifully into the bottom right corner of the net to bag his third goal in two games.
That strike was also his eighth goal contribution of his season already.
He’s too good.
Eric Garcia: 2/10
Drafted into midfield after Dani Olmo was struck down with a hamstring injury, it’s fair to say that Eric Garcia didn’t have the intended impact on proceedings on Thursday.
Instead of providing a solid base from which Barca could build their attack, he dragged Takumi Minamino down and earned himself a red card inside ten minutes.
Not ideal.
His red card ultimately cost Hansi Flick’s side the game.
Dishonourable mention
Marc-Andre ter Stegen: 4/10
While it was Eric Garcia who received the red card, it was Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s ill-advised pass that played the former Man City man into trouble and forced him into pulling Minamino to the ground.
His distribution didn’t improve much thereafter either, with Monaco pressing high up the park and forcing the goalkeeper into error after error on the ball – completing just 64% of his passes as a result.
On top of that, Ter Stegen also probably should’ve saved Ilenikhena’s strike too as it was basically fired straight at him.
