A few hours before the first day of the Champions League match between AS Monaco and FC Barcelona at the Stade Louis-II (kick-off 9 p.m.), here are the figures you need to keep in mind, with Opta.
Rediscover the biggest European competition. This Thursday (9pm), the Red and Whites host FC Barcelona at the Stade Louis-II, as part of the first day of the Champions League league phase. A poster that promises to be spectacular with the Club’s return to C1 after six years of absence! So before kick-off, here are the numbers you need to know, with Opta. ????
Podium ????
Against FC Barcelona, AS Monaco will play the 79th Champions League match in its history, joining Olympique de Marseille on the third step of the podium of French clubs having played the most.
Retro ????
AS Monaco and Barça have faced each other twice on the European stage, during the group stage of the 1993-1994 Champions League. The Catalans won at home (2-0) and at the Stade Louis-II (1-0). However, the Red and Whites took a little revenge this year in preparation during the Joan Gamper Trophy (0-3).
Balanced ⚖️
The Principality club has also played 16 times against a Spanish club in this competition for a balanced record of 7 wins, 1 draw and 8 defeats (29 goals scored, 21 conceded). It should be noted that the Red and Whites even had their biggest score in C1 against Deportivo La Corogne (8-3 success).
Made in France ????????
This will also be the 25th Champions League match between FCB and a French club. It should be noted that both teams have scored in 17 of the first 24 matches, for an average of 3.6 goals per match. The Catalans faced PSG twice last season, with a total of 10 goals (3-2 in Paris, 1-4 in Barcelona).
Remaking Louis II a fortress ????
The Red and Whites won 22 of their first 31 Champions League games played at home between 1993 and 2017, but have since lost each of their last seven at the Stade Louis-II.
Experience ????
Barcelona will be playing in the Champions League for the 21st consecutive season, only Real Madrid are currently on a longer run (28). In addition, the Catalan club have won their first match of a Champions League campaign 20 times in 28 seasons (71%).
I think the average age of both squads is about the same, even though they have a very experienced player like Robert Lewandowski and our most mature player is 29. But they also have very young talents like us, like intermediate-aged players with more experience.
Adi HütterAbout Barça
Forward play ????
Barcelona were the team with the highest percentage of passes breaking at least one opposing line in the 2023-24 Champions League (14.7%). Only Manchester City (12.2) averaged more such passes per game last season in the Champions League (10.6).
Embolo in history? ????
Breel Embolo has scored three goals in 20 Champions League games, each for a different club (Basel, Schalke 04 and Borussia Mönchengladbach). No player has scored his first four goals in the competition for four different teams.
Crack ????
Lamine Yamal has already played 10 Champions League games for Barcelona and could become the under-18 player with the most appearances in the competition (10 also for Jude Bellingham, Youri Tielemans and Warren Zaire-Emery).
Today we have talents like Eliesse Ben Seghir, Maghnes Akliouche or Lamine Camara who are not yet very well known in Europe. But this campaign is a good opportunity to present them.
Adi HütterOn young Monegasque talents
Steamroller ????????
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has the best winning percentage (89%) in the history of the Champions League among coaches who have managed more than one match. He has won 16 of the 18 games he managed on the Bayern Munich bench between 2019 and 2021 (1 draw, 1 loss). The German team scored 3.2 goals per game on average under Flick, which is also the best ratio for a coach in the competition.
