PLAYER RATINGS | Monaco 5-1 Crvena Zvezda: Takumi Minamino nets brace as Monégasques continue unbeaten run in Champions League | OneFootball

UEFA Champions League, Round 3, 22/10/24

AS Monaco continued their unbeaten start to the season, hammering Serbian side Crvena Zvezda and provisionally going top in the UEFA Champions League table.

The Match

The rhythm was instantly set with the visitors uninterested in pressing. But that didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous, at least in the first half. Monaco dominated possession (71% over the course of the match) but lacked incision for periods in the first half. Takumi Minamino beat the offside trap to open the scoring but Crvena Zvezda hit back through Cherif Ndiaye.

He netted from the spot after an error from Wilfried Singo allowed him to bare down on goal, before being taken out by the recovering Thilo Kehrer. Ndiaye picked himself up from the spot and hammered past Radoslaw Majecki.

Les Monégasques had to suffer at points in the first half and were wary of the counter but went in ahead thanks to Breel Embolo’s first goal of the season. Denis Zakaria missed a simple header seconds later. The barrage had begun and it was a sign of things to come.

The second half was nothing less than an onslaught on the Crvena Zvezda goal. Singo atoned for his error in style, blasting a long-range strike into the corner. The floodgates were then well and truly opened. Embolo thought he had his second, only for VAR to rule it out for offside.

Maghnes Akliouche then hit the post and then went close again just moments later. By the time Les Monégasques netted their fourth, through Minamino, Crvena Zvezda looked exhausted and struggling to cope with Monaco’s attack, which had been refreshed with a swathe of second-half substitutions.

Aleksandr Golovin almost got the fifth but his curled effort struck the post and stayed out, but the Principality club would get their fifth thanks to Akliouche’s composed finish. Five goals was the least Monaco deserved as they went provisionally top of the Champions League table, further extending their unbeaten run in the process. Adi Hütter’s side are still yet to lose this season.

Monaco player ratings

Radoslaw Majecki – 5

Caio Henrique – 6

Thilo Kehrer – 5

Wilfried Singo – 7

He was the most at fault for Crvena Zvezda’s only goal but his overall performance more than atoned for it. His ball for Takumi Minamino’s opener was timed and placed to perfection and his goal was exceptional and audacious. With the visitors playing long balls into the channels, he was asked to cover a lot of ground too, and he did so.

Lamine Camara – 6

Denis Zakaria – 6

Eliesse Ben Seghir – 4

The least efficient of Monaco’s attacking arsenal and was replaced by Aleksandr Golovin (6) at the break.

Takumi Minamino – 8

An excellent performance from the Japan international, who was a surprise inclusion in the starting XI. He beat the offside trap, even to his surprise, on the first, kept his cool for the second and registered an assist.

Maghnes Akliouche – 7

Breel Embolo – 8

Such a precious player for Monaco in build-up, he has lacked the goal-scoring touch. His goal, very well taken at the death in the first half, should allow him to go on and get more. He did the things he has done so well this season, holding the ball up, bringing others into play, and pressing, but also had the finishing touch on the night.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Monaco