Monaco’s teenage sensation, George Ilenikhena, stole the spotlight in his club’s UEFA Champions League opener, scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over Barcelona.
The 18-year-old Nigerian striker made history by becoming Monaco’s youngest scorer in the competition, surpassing Kylian Mbappe’s record.
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The match at Stade Louis II saw Monaco take the lead in the 16th minute through Maghnes Akliouche, only for Barcelona’s young talent, Lamine Yamal, to equalize in the 28th minute.
The turning point came when Barcelona defender Eric García was sent off for a foul on Takumi Minamino, reducing the Spanish side to 10 men.
With the score tied at 1-1, Ilenikhena took advantage of a defensive mistake in the 71st minute, calmly finishing to secure all three points for Monaco. His decisive strike marked the first defeat for Hansi Flick as Barcelona manager.
At just 18 years and 34 days old, Ilenikhena broke Mbappe’s record as Monaco’s youngest-ever scorer in the Champions League. Mbappe had set the previous milestone at 18 years and 63 days during a 2017 clash against Manchester City.
This isn’t the first time Ilenikhena has troubled Barcelona, having also scored against them last season while playing for Royal Antwerp. The young striker’s performance has sent social media abuzz, with fans and pundits alike hailing his record-breaking achievement and bright future in European football.
