In a dramatic and hard-fought Champions League clash, AS Monaco suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Benfica at the Stade Louis-II. Despite leading for most of the match thanks to goals from Academy standouts Eliesse Ben Seghir and Soungoutou Magassa, the Red and Whites conceded twice in the final minutes, marking their first defeat of the campaign. Nonetheless, they remain in the competition’s Top 8 with one game left in the league phase.
Monaco entered the fifth matchday with confidence, sitting on 10 points after an impressive start, including a 5-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade. Benfica, needing a win to stay in contention, posed a stern challenge as Monaco had failed to defeat the Lisbon side in their previous two meetings.
Head coach Adi Hütter deployed a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, with Caio Henrique returning to the defence and Lamine Camara anchoring the midfield. The attacking trio of Maghnes Akliouche, Ben Seghir, and Aleksandr Golovin aimed to maintain the team’s offensive momentum.
Ben Seghir opened the scoring in the 13th minute, capitalising on a swift counterattack orchestrated by Breel Embolo and finished deftly with a back-pass assist from Golovin. The goal, Ben Seghir’s first in the Champions League, electrified the home crowd. Benfica quickly sought to respond, but their efforts were thwarted by an offside call and solid defending from Monaco.
The match’s intensity surged, with chances at both ends. Monaco’s Radeck Majecki made crucial saves, including a one-on-one with Ángel Di María, to preserve the lead at halftime. However, the momentum shifted early in the second half when Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis equalised following a defensive lapse.
The game saw further drama as two goals—one each for Monaco and Benfica—were disallowed by VAR for offside. Monaco’s resilience shone through when Magassa smashed home his first professional goal in the 63rd minute, regaining the lead and sending the Stade Louis-II into a frenzy.
Despite the heroics, the tide turned against Monaco after Wilfried Singo received a controversial second yellow card, reducing the team to 10 men. Benfica seized the opportunity, with Di María setting up Francisco Cabral for the equaliser in the 84th minute and Zeki Amdouni clinching the winner in the 88th.
While the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, Monaco’s overall performance underscored their strength and determination. With a spot in the Top 8 still secure, the focus now shifts to a crucial Ligue 1 showdown against Marseille on Sunday, December 1.
