WATCH: Barcelona down to 10 men as Eric Garcia sent off for last man challenge | OneFootball

Barcelona are aiming to make a strong start to the league phase of their 2024-25 Champions League campaign, but their chances of doing so have taken a major blow. In the early stages against Monaco, they have been reduced to 10 men.

It’s Eric Garcia, the only change from the side that defeated Girona at the weekend, that has seen red. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen gifted possession to Monaco in Barcelona’s final third, and the 24-year-old was forced to commit the foul on the edge of the penalty area, leaving the referee with no choice.

It is a horrendous error from Ter Stegen, who has several options to choose from that were better than the pass that he tried to make. Eric has taken the punishment for it, and now Barcelona will surely find it very difficult to secure a positive result from this one. What’s certain is that it will be a very long evening.