AS Monaco FC vs. FC Barcelona Prediction on September 19, 2024

Match info

The 2024–25 UEFA Champions League (UCL) timetable for this Thursday, September 19, features a matchup between AS Monaco FC and FC Barcelona, two teams looking to reclaim their positions as top contenders in European men’s premier football. At 9 p.m. local time, these two will square off at Monaco’s Stade Louis II, as the most prominent club competition in the “Old Continent” promotes a new format this season.

Meeting statistics

The current form of AS Monaco FC

Monaco have accumulated 10 points from their first four games of the French Championship and are currently ranked third in the Ligue 1. Under Adi Hütter’s direction, the “Les Rouge et Blanc” (the Red and Whites) have had a great start, and there are rising hopes that this will be the year they make a comeback to prominence in Europe. It has been a while since Monaco’s historic run to the Champions League semifinals in the 2016–17 campaign, for which a youthful Kylian Mbappé was most deserved. Since then, their inconsistent performance and early withdrawals from their European campaigns have angered their supporters. They finished runners-up to José Mourinho’s Porto in the 2004–05 season, their best-ever performance in the competition; however, they haven’t done quite as well in recent years.

But there’s a feeling that Monaco might be able to turn things around at last this season. This year’s squad strikes a solid mix of youthful energy and seasoned leadership, and several players are already playing at a high level. The Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria, who joined the team in 2023, has strengthened and energized their midfield with his ability to disrupt plays, initiate attacks, and chip in with the occasional goal, all of which have been crucial to their early success in the domestic league. Alongside him, the Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara, 20, has shown promise as one of the league’s most interesting young players. His maturity and versatility have impressed.

Hütter, a coach renowned for his aggressive style, has given Monaco a new outlook. Their play has become more intense under the Austrian expert, and this could prove to be crucial as they try to press and stymie Barcelona’s fluid attacking approach.

Monaco are into this match after defeating Auxerre 3-0 in their previous encounter. A 1-1 draw with Lens, a 2-0 victory away at Lyon, and a 1-0 victory over Saint-Étienne all came before that match.

Both Radosław Majecki and Edan Diop are still recovering from injuries, thus, Monaco will be without them both this time around.

The current form of FC Barcelona

Under new coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona are experiencing something of a resurgence, unlike their rival, which has been rebuilding. After five games, the Catalans lead La Liga with a spotless record, having scored 17 goals and conceded just four. There’s newfound hope at Camp Nou following years of underperformance, in which the team has failed to meet the high expectations established during the height of Leo Messi’s dominance. Even if it’s early, Flick’s summer arrival at “Barça” has already had a significant influence. The German expert has given the team a fresh lease on life, the players a newfound confidence, and improved the team’s attacking style, making it more fluid and adaptable.

The decline of Barcelona in Europe has been cataloged enough. Except for their aggregate victory against Juventus in 2014–15, the club hasn’t advanced past the quarterfinals of the UCL since 2018–19. This is an unconscionable drought for a team with Barcelona’s illustrious past and ample financial resources.

Barcelona’s youthful players, like Lamine Yamal, who exploded onto the scene last season and has since maintained his swift ascension to become one of the world’s finest football talents, have been a major part of the team’s rise. With three goals and four assists to his credit, so far this season in La Liga, the 17-year-old winger is a nightmare for opposing defenses thanks to his brilliant dribbling, inventiveness, and bravery.

Pedri is another player whose performance has been essential to Barcelona’s wins. The midfield player has returned to his peak form in the early going of this season, following a challenging time due to injury. The guy born in the Canaries is an essential component in Flick’s system because of his vision, cleverness on the ball, and capacity to control the game's speed. Barcelona’s plan against Monaco will heavily rely on his ability to connect play between the midfield and the attack, especially considering how muscular and dynamic Monaco’s midfield is.

Barcelona’s defense has also improved as a result of Flick’s tactical skill. The Catalan giants have demonstrated remarkable stability at the back by giving away just four goals in five league games, despite their offensive flair.

In their most recent game, Barcelona defeated Girona 4-1 on the road, another Catalan team. Before that, “Barça” crushed Valladolid 7-0, winning three straight games by scores of 2-1 against Rayo Vallecano, Athletic Bilbao, and Valencia prior to that.

Ronald Araújo, Andreas Christensen, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal, Ansu Fati, and Gavi are on the visitors’ still-out injured list. On the other hand, the last-mentioned player is almost ready to make a comeback after missing almost a full year due to a catastrophic knee injury. Even so, Barcelona are heavy favorites in the upcoming match, according to odds from European betting sites.

Head-to-head

These two don’t have too much history. On December 8, 1993, Barcelona defeated Monaco 2-0 at Camp Nou thanks to two first-half goals from Aitor Begiristain. It was the Spanish team’s first-ever group win in the Champions League. In the rematch at the Stade Louis II, thanks to a goal by Hristo Stoichkov in the early stages of the match, Barcelona secured first place in Group A and a trip to the semi-finals.

There was one more encounter between these two, and it happened just last month in the pre-season. Monaco thrashed Flick’s side 3-0.

Match analytics

Barcelona are difficult to stop, as they’ve won every game they’ve played this season. In the Champions League, they’ve only lost three of their previous 10 games, whereas Monaco have only triumphed in two of those same 10 matches. There were goals from both sides in four of Barcelona’s previous five games this season, so we expect both teams to score in this one too, but an away victory seems like the most likely final result.

Tip: 1X2 and both will score – FC Barcelona and yes, with odds of 3.00 on E-TOTO.