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Conference League: Minamino and Salisu start as Monaco beat CSKA Sofia 2-1 on their debut
Monaco opened their first Conference League campaign with a 2-1 win in Sofia, Takumi Minamino and Mohammed Salisu both starting. The finish wobbled; on Sunday the Ligue 1 leaders travel to Lorient.
by Lucas Morel · 2 min read
Paris Brunner struck in the third minute, on the break after a Bulgarian corner, played in by Takumi Minamino. Ansu Fati added a second just before the interval (43rd), set up by Brunner. Two goals in a first half the CSKA dominated in possession without a shot on target; Monaco took the transitions they were given. The club’s match report calls it a “logical” evening, franceinfo saw a win “against the run of play”: the CSKA had the ball, Monaco had the moments that counted.
The scare came from a corner. Joel Zwarts, on as a substitute, pulled one back with a header on 76 minutes and the stadium pushed to the end: eleven corners conceded by Monaco, crosses, second balls, no equaliser. The campaign is up and running, and the back line worked to the final whistle.
Minamino returns, Dier stays behind
Filipe Luís reshaped his side: Jordan Teze, Mohammed Salisu and Christian Mawissa in defence, Edan Diop back in midfield, Stanis Idumbo and Brunner, returning from suspension, up front. The first appearance of the season from Takumi Minamino, long sidelined by a knee injury, was the real news on the teamsheet; Salisu and Fati were also back from the treatment table. Eric Dier, a muscle problem in his right thigh, and Balogun, not registered on the European list, stayed in Monaco.
“We travelled with 25 players including three goalkeepers, because I wanted an extra player just in case, but also to let the young ones be there,” Filipe Luís had explained before the match.
Sunday at Lorient, and the market keeps its distance
Top of Ligue 1 and unbeaten in nine matches this season, Monaco travel to Lorient on Sunday. At 2.10 with Betano on Thursday, the market gives them a win once in two, hardly more. It has its reasons: Lorient won the last two meetings 3-1, one of them at the Moustoir in September 2025. Our match preview takes Lorient or the draw at 1.822 with 1xbet (a $50 stake): Thursday’s trip to Bulgaria, with half an hour of corners to defend, has not shortened that price. The Conference League resumes at home to Freiburg on 22 October.
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