Résumé:
AS Monaco suffers a 1-0 defeat against Benfica in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs, making it difficult for them to qualify for the group stage.
Histoire complète :
AS Monaco faced a 1-0 defeat against SL Benfica in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs. The match took a turn for the worse when Monaco was reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute due to a controversial refereeing decision. This defeat poses a serious challenge for Monaco’s chances of qualifying for the group stage. Despite having high hopes for this game, Monaco struggled to regain confidence after an inconsistent regular season. They were also motivated to redeem themselves after a previous defeat against Benfica in November. However, the first half was intense but goalless for both teams. Benfica took the lead in the 48th minute, and four minutes later, Monaco’s Moatasem Al-Musrati was sent off with a red card. Reduced to 10 men, Monaco faced a well-organized Benfica team that took control of the game. Despite Monaco’s efforts, they failed to create significant chances. The match ended with suspensions for Vanderson and Denis Zakaria, who will miss the second leg. Monaco will need to put in a lot of effort to overturn the result in the return leg in Lisbon. The winner of this playoff will face either FC Barcelona or Liverpool in the group stage. Monaco coach Adi Hütter expressed disappointment with the red card decision but praised his team’s fighting spirit. Monaco’s director general, Thiago Scuro, also expressed his belief in the team’s ability to turn things around in the second leg.
Source:
Monaco Tribune
