BARCELONA, Spain – Barcelona’s final preseason match before the start of the new LaLiga campaign ended in disappointment as they suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Olympic Stadium on Monday.
The loss marks the first time since 2012 that Barça have been beaten in their traditional curtain-raiser.
Monaco secured their victory with second-half goals from Lamine Camara, Breel Embolo, and Christian Mawissa, sealing a commanding performance that left Barça searching for answers just days before their season opener.
This defeat concludes a mixed preseason for Barcelona under new head coach Hansi Flick.
The team previously registered wins against Manchester City and Real Madrid but also experienced setbacks, including a loss to AC Milan during their tour of the United States.
Injuries and the absence of key players due to summer international tournaments have hampered Flick’s ability to field his strongest lineup throughout the preseason.
Notable absentees include Ronald Araújo, Pedri, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong, all of whom are sidelined with fitness issues.
The match against Monaco saw Ferran Torres and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal make their first preseason appearances, coming off the bench in the second half.
However, the game also saw Ilkay Gündogan exit early due to an injury, adding to Barça’s growing list of concerns ahead of the new season.
Despite dominating the first half, Barcelona struggled to convert their chances, with Pau Victor, who scored against Real Madrid last week, missing the best opportunity.
Raphinha also had a goal disallowed for offside early in the second half, before Monaco capitalized with a clinical performance that silenced the crowd of over 40,000 at Montjuïc.
Barcelona will now shift their focus to the LaLiga season, which kicks off on Saturday with a challenging away fixture against Valencia.
Meanwhile, Monaco will enter the new Ligue 1 season full of confidence, preparing to host Saint-Étienne following their convincing victory over the Catalan side.
