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As Arsenal shares the spoil with Atalanta in Champions League
By Ed Emeanua
Clubs enjoyed contrasting fortunes on a first day of Champions League season that saw Barcelona labor in vain, and Arsenal with Manchester City spurn what should have been an easy victory.
Yet, it was also an opening day for Europe’s most glamorous Club football fixtures that saw nine stunning goals logged in the book of credits for a rampaging Bayern Munich side.
Monaco upended expectations to make certain for a 10-man Barça road loss after snatching a 2-1 win on Thursday in their Champions League matchup, just as a sensational David Raya twin-save forced Arsenal to a goalless draw at roaring Europa League champions Atalanta’s den.
Spoiled by an 11th minute Eric Garcia red card incident, Barça, despite starting their La Liga season on an unblemished note after five games and counting, succumbed to a now famous defeat on the Côte d’Azur.
Maghnes Akliouche headed the Ligue one outfit in the victor’s path with a fifth minute opener following Garcia’s ejection for a last-man take-down of Monaco’s Japanese armada Takumi Minamino.
Lamine Yamal tried to right the visitor’s course with his 28th minute leveler through an angled shot after the teenager had cut in from the right and into his familiar left foot, but George Ilenikhena had the final say with the winning goal for the home side inside the last 20 minutes of the encounter.
“After ten minutes with the red card the game changed totally, but what I can see is really the positive thing,” Barça boss Hansi Flick reflected to reporters after the game.
“We tried to defend as a team and also attack as a team, and we had chances, but today they deserve the 2-1 (win), so we have to accept that.”
In Italy, Arsenal goalkeeper Raya was the difference maker as he contrived to fashion out a deserved point for his side in a rough-rider of a campaign opener against Atalanta in an 0-0 ending.
A cagey match was opened up six minutes into the second stanza of the melee when Mateo Retegui saw Raya splash down to his right to paw out his penalty, after Thomas Partey fouled Ederson.
