Club Brugge kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign in electrifying fashion, delivering a dominant 4-1 victory over AS Monaco at home. A relentless first-half display saw the Belgian side net three goals before the break, laying down a statement of intent in Group Stage action. With this result, Brugge extended their unbeaten home streak to seven matches, while Monaco were left licking their wounds ahead of a daunting clash with Manchester City.
Blazing Start and Early Drama
Fresh off their emphatic qualifying win over Rangers, Club Brugge showed no signs of easing into the group stage. Within minutes, Carlos Forbs tore through Monaco’s backline and squared the ball to Christos Tzolis, who missed a golden opportunity to put the hosts ahead.
But the game’s first major turning point came in the eighth minute when Monaco were controversially awarded a penalty following a slick attacking move. Takumi Minamino fed Mika Biereth, who was brought down by goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. However, Mignolet quickly redeemed himself, diving low to deny Maghnes Akliouche from the spot.
Unfortunately for Brugge, Mignolet’s night ended prematurely after suffering an injury just minutes later. Despite the setback, the Belgian side quickly regained their composure and seized full control.
Club Brugge Turn the Screw
Brugge’s dominance began to translate into goals just past the half-hour mark. Making his Champions League debut, Nicolo Tresoldi opened the scoring in the 32nd minute after a composed finish from a clever Hans Vanaken pass.
The floodgates then opened. Monaco failed to deal with a corner, and Raphael Onyedika made them pay by smashing home the second. Moments later, Vanaken turned scorer, volleying in a superb third from the edge of the box to complete a ruthless 15-minute spell.
Second Half Control and Final Blow
With a comfortable three-goal cushion, Brugge eased off in the second half, though they remained the more threatening side. Aleksandar Stankovic nearly added a fourth with a powerful header that flew just wide.
Monaco’s defensive woes continued late in the game as Mamadou Diakhon put the match out of sight. The substitute danced through defenders before blasting home Brugge’s fourth in the 75th minute.
Ansu Fati managed to grab a late consolation for Monaco, but it was little more than a footnote in an otherwise one-sided affair. For Adi Hütter’s side, it was a humbling loss, and the road ahead doesn’t get easier with Manchester City looming.
Brugge Build Momentum Ahead of Atalanta Trip
With this commanding victory, Club Brugge have now gone unbeaten in seven straight home matches (W6, D1). More importantly, they’ve set a strong tone for their European ambitions this season. Next up: a challenging away fixture against Serie A contenders Atalanta.
