The UEFA Champions League begins its new league phase with an intriguing matchup as Belgian champions Club Brugge host French giants AS Monaco at the Jan Breydel Stadium. This will be a fascinating clash between two teams with a mixed history in this competition.
Match Details:
CompetitionDateKick-off (GMT)VenueUEFA Champions LeagueSeptember 18, 20254:45 PMJan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium
Team Form and Analysis:
Club Brugge enters this match with a solid start to their season. While they recently suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to La Louvière in the Belgian Pro League, their Champions League qualifying campaign was nothing short of spectacular, including a dominant 6-0 victory over Rangers in the second leg of the playoff round. Under manager Nicky Hayen, Club Brugge has established a formidable home record, winning 18 of their last 19 games at home. They will be looking to leverage this home advantage to kick-start their European campaign on a positive note. However, they will be without key players like Hugo Vetlesen, Ludovit Reis, and Joaquin Seys, who are all dealing with minor knocks.
AS Monaco, meanwhile, has had a strong start to their Ligue 1 campaign, with three wins and a loss in their first four matches. The visitors are coming off a 2-1 away victory over Auxerre and will be full of confidence. However, their preparations for the match were disrupted by a travel mishap, as an air conditioning malfunction on their charter flight forced a delay. The team’s safety was not guaranteed, and they were stranded in a hot aircraft at Nice airport, leading to a late departure for Bruges. Despite this setback, manager Adi Hütter has stated that it will not affect his team’s focus. The French side will be looking to their attacking depth to secure a positive result.
Head-to-Head:
The historical head-to-head record between these two clubs is in favor of Club Brugge, who have won one of their two Champions League encounters, with the other ending in a draw. The most recent meeting in 2018 saw Club Brugge win 4-0 in Monaco, while their previous meeting in Belgium ended in a 1-1 draw.
Player to Watch:
Club Brugge: All eyes will be on their key attacking players, particularly Christos Tzolis, who has been in good goal-scoring form. The creativity of Hans Vanaken will also be crucial in breaking down the Monaco defense.
AS Monaco: The focus for AS Monaco will be on their attacking players, including Maghnes Akliouche, who has been in excellent form with two goals and an assist in four matches. The speed and skill of Takumi Minamino will also be a key threat for the visitors.
Prediction:
Given Club Brugge’s dominant home record and their impressive form in the Champions League qualifiers, they are the slight favorites to win this match. However, AS Monaco’s strong start to their domestic season and their attacking prowess suggest that this will be a tight and highly competitive affair. A narrow home victory for Club Brugge or a hard-fought draw seems like a very plausible outcome.
Live Stream and TV Broadcast:
You can watch the Club Brugge vs AS Monaco match live on the following platforms, subject to availability in your region:
UK: TNT Sports, DAZN
USA: Paramount+, FuboTV, Sling TV
Canada: DAZN
India: Sony Sports Network, SonyLIV
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Mobile & PC | Auto Quality
