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·20 September 2024
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·20 September 2024
AS Monaco, after finishing second in Ligue 1 last season, have enjoyed an impressive start to the current campaign. With three wins and one draw in Ligue 1, they currently sit third in the table, behind only reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille.
That form carried into the UEFA Champions League on Thursday evening as, ending their six-year hiatus from the competition, they made a winning return, beating 10-men Barcelona 2-1 at the Stade Louis II. It was Maghnes Akliouche (22), who made his breakthrough last season, before shining with the France team at the Olympics, who got the opener.
The Diagonale academy product was a constant threat to Barcelona’s defence as he made a near-perfect Champions League debut. Whilst setting himself what he sees as the reachable objective of scoring 10 or more goals this season, Akliouche also revealed Monaco’s ambitious collective objectives in a post-match interview with CBS Sports.
“Our objective is to put Monaco back in its place. That is the clear objective. Monaco should be playing in the Champions League every season,” began Akliouche, before unveiling the Principality club’s Ligue 1 objectives. “[In the league], we are targeting the title, and we want to enjoy the Champions League.”
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
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