Champions League: AS Monaco rediscover the taste of victory in Norway

AS Monaco recorded a valuable victory beyond the Arctic Circle on Tuesday evening, as they defeated Bodø/Glimt on Norwegian soil in matchday four of the league phase – a vital boost for Sébastien Pocognoli and his men as they reasserted themselves in the competition.

After a recent European outing that left a sense of unfinished business against Tottenham Hotspur, Monaco absolutely had to win to keep their play-off hopes alive. And they accomplished their mission, thanks to a lone goal from their No. 9, Folarin Balogun, which was a moment of joy for the 200 supporters who travelled the 3,550 kilometres between the two cities, as well as for President Dmitry Rybolovlev.

Patience rewarded

Still fighting for success since the start of the competition, ASM faced this unprecedented European encounter with a host of key players unavailable, as Ansu Fati (ill) and Krépin Diatta (right eye) joined the long list of absentees. Pocognoli stuck with his usual 3-4-2-1 system, making two changes from the defeat against Paris FC in the league last weekend: Jordan Teze reclaimed the right flank, while Folarin Balogun returned to his role as centre-forward.

The beginning of the match was marked by a brief collision between Philipp Köhn and Sondre Auklend, the latter receiving a booking for his challenge on the goalkeeper. Although the Swiss keeper’s teammates battled to control possession, they created the first real chance through Maghnes Akliouche, whose shot soared over following a fine delivery from Teze (23′). In the pouring rain, the hosts quickly replied through Patrick Berg, but his effort came to nothing (32′).

As the tempo struggled to rise in a stadium where temperatures hovered around zero, the breakthrough came from Balogun just before the interval. After excellent work from the No. 11, the American star broke into space and fired a powerful left-footed strike under the crossbar (43′) – his first goal in European competition. It was also the visitors’ first shot on target, with their lead preserved moments later when Kasper Høgh’s attempt struck the post just before the whistle (45′).

Bodø sees red

Returning from the break, ASM came under pressure from the reigning Norwegian champions. For a good fifteen minutes, Bodø/Glimt created no fewer than four chances – starting with a free kick from Berg (52′). The Monegasque goalkeeper made his first save of the half before denying Høgh again shortly after. The Danish forward tried once more a few minutes later, but to no avail. His third effort came dangerously close following a pinpoint cross from Jens Petter Hauge (69′), but he still couldn’t find the back of the net.

With his players yet to conjure any clear opportunities since the restart, Pocognoli must have breathed a sigh of relief when the referee, after consulting VAR, upgraded Jostein Gundersen’s yellow card to red for a dangerous tackle on substitute Mika Biereth’s right ankle (81′). Monaco, who had managed the only shot on target in the second stanza, can now savour their first Champions League win, which was earned through impressive determination and courage.

2 – Sébastien Pocognoli est devenu le 2e entraîneur à gagner un match avec 2 équipes différentes au cours d’une même édition de Ligue des Champions (Union SG puis Monaco) après Thomas Tuchel en 2020/21 (Paris SG puis Chelsea – futur vainqueur). Insolite. pic.twitter.com/MznrtWHjxu

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 4, 2025

Pocognoli’s debrief

This result allows ASM to temporarily climb to 18th spot with five points and enter the play-off zone for the first time. After the clash, Pocognoli commented on his team’s display. “This is an important victory for the rest of the campaign. We’ve given ourselves some breathing room in the standings. We still have four very high-level matches ahead. It’s our third clean sheet in six games, but to win at Bodø/Glimt is something that even the top European teams rarely achieve. I’m proud of it,” he said in the post-match press conference.

The next Champions League fixture will likely take place in milder conditions, as the Principality club will travel to Cyprus to face Pafos, aiming to build on this performance. In the meantime, attention turns back to the league, with the visit of Lens on Saturday night (9:05 p.m.) – the final match before the upcoming international break.