Prediction: AS Monaco vs Barcelona

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 7/10

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Monaco and Barcelona, both undefeated so far this season, will clash at the Stade Louis II in Thursday’s Champions League fixture.

After finishing second in their respective domestic leagues last term, both teams are aiming to go one step further this season, buoyed by strong starts.

AS Monaco

Under Adi Hutter’s leadership, Monaco appear to be on the right track following their second-place finish behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season. Their unbeaten run was extended to four games with a 3-0 victory over Auxerre last weekend, which allowed Hutter to rotate his squad after securing the result within an hour.

However, this upcoming fixture marks a significant step up from their domestic opposition, putting their unbeaten streak at risk.

After facing Barcelona, Monaco will also play host to Benfica and Aston Villa, while traveling to Inter Milan and Arsenal, in what is expected to be a tough group stage.

Despite the challenging opponents ahead, Monaco may draw confidence from their impressive record against Spanish teams, having won seven of their last nine encounters.

Still, their recent poor home form in this competition raises concern, with seven consecutive defeats at the Stade Louis II—no team has ever lost eight straight home games in the tournament’s history. Hutter will be hoping for a change in mentality from their last Champions League appearance in 2018, which saw them exit at the group stage for the second year in a row.

Nevertheless, Monaco have an impressive overall record in the competition, considering they’ve only qualified nine times, yet have reached one final, three semifinals, and a quarterfinal. They have faced Barcelona just once before, in 1993, when the Spanish side won both matches without conceding a goal.

Team News

Monaco are expected to have midfielder Lamine Camara available after Ligue 1 cleared him from concussion protocols, following his neck injury that saw him stretchered off in the match against Auxerre last weekend.

However, the two confirmed absentees are still Edan Diop and backup goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki, who are not expected to return before next month.

Before the international break, Hutter made eight changes for the game against Lens but reverted to the starting XI that had beaten Lyon for the Auxerre match. With a deep squad at his disposal, more rotations could be on the cards.

Barcelona

Hansi Flick’s team aims to secure a third consecutive victory as they prepare for their 21st straight season in Europe’s top competition. However, given the club’s stature, recent performances must improve. Since their 2015 triumph as European champions, Barca have only advanced past the quarterfinals once, including two group stage eliminations in 2021 and 2022. Even that one time they reached the semis, the run ended in a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield after a 3-0 victory in the first leg at Camp Nou, in 2019.

This contrasts sharply with their golden era, where they reached the semifinals at least 10 times in 15 seasons between 1999 and 2015.

Facing Monaco may not be an ideal start either, as Barcelona have won just two of their last nine matches in France, one of which was against PSG last season before they were knocked out in the quarterfinals.

Nevertheless, Barca tend to open strongly, as seen in recent years, scoring five goals against Ferencvaros, Viktoria Plzen, and Antwerp in their recent season openers.

Their impressive league form should also boost the spirits of the traveling Culers, with Sunday’s 4-1 victory over Girona extending their perfect start to five matches, during which they have netted 17 goals. Lamine Yamal once again stole the spotlight, scoring twice.

Team News

Barcelona were dealt a blow with the news that Dani Olmo will be sidelined until after the October international break due to a hamstring injury sustained against Girona on Sunday, leaving Flick with limited options in midfield.

Olmo adds to a growing injury list at the club, which includes Fermin Lopez, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Andreas Christensen.

Meanwhile, Ronald Araujo is out with a hamstring injury, though he would have missed this match regardless due to suspension after his red card in last season’s quarterfinal against PSG.

On a brighter note, Robert Lewandowski, who has netted eight Champions League goals since joining Barcelona, now has 94 overall and will be aiming to become the third player to reach 100 during this group stage.

Conclusion

Monaco risk setting an unwanted record for the most consecutive home losses in this competition if they are defeated here, and Barcelona’s form appears worrisome for the hosts, despite their injury woes.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 7/10

Bookmaker: ZetBet