PEP GUARDIOLA’S second half gamble backfired as former England man Eric Dier claimed a controversial late point.
With Manchester City seemingly coasting to victory in Montecarlo, the boss took off midfield linchpin Rodri just before the hour to manage his minutes.
Yet his replacement Nico Gonzalez conceded a late penalty for booting Dier in the face as he aimed a header towards goal.
The ex-Tottenham man picked himself up to scored from the spot to deny the visitors – just when it looked like Erling Haaland would again win them the game.
You could bet your bottom dollar the Norwegian would be on the money in the gambler’s paradise.
He once again proved to be City’s ace in the pack.
Whatever the stakes are, Haaland just scores goals. He got one with his first touch in the Louis II stadium and nodded them back in front on the half hour.
The Etihad boss said at the weekend that his centre forward’s numbers are ‘insane’ – and no wonder.
That’s 52 in 50 matches in a competition that he loves so much. And 17 in 10 games for club and country this season.
In this kind of mood, you’d have put a lot of money on him going home with the match-ball – the only surprise was that he didn’t.
Yet just when it looked like he had done enough to ensure his team have two wins out of two.
Last time these two teams met, in a last 16 tie back in 2017, it was a Champions League classic – finishing 6-6 on aggregate. And this turned into another action-packed night.
Only John Stones and Bernardo Silva remain from that memorable clash – and the Portuguese was playing against City back then.
With Monaco struggling with injuries – there was a feeling this could be another goal fest and the early exchanges backed that up.
Erling Haaland had not even touched the ball when he darted in between two defenders to latch onto a chip forward by Josko Gvardiol.
The Norwegian still had plenty to do but made it look easy as he expertly lobbed over home keeper Philipp Kohn to give City the lead.
Surprisingly, Guardiola’s men were looking to end a run of four straight away defeats in this competition – dating back to November last year.
And they were pegged back here within three minutes as Monaco went forward down the left and Krepin Diatta laid the ball back.
Jordan Teze – a Dutch international defender playing as a makeshift midfielder – picked the ball up and thumped an unstoppable 20 yard drive into the top corner.
It gave City’s huge new keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma absolutely no chance.
Former United midfielder Paul Pogba – watching from the stands as he builds up his fitness following an 18-month doping ban – would have approved of that one.
City seemed rattled for a few minutes but gradually began to take control of the game – with the home side packing their defence.
Phil Foden found space in the box but saw his shot crash off the underside of the bar and bounce down on the wrong side of the line.
Kohn made good saves to keep out Nico O’Reilly and then TIjjani Reijnders with Haaland firing the rebound of the second one into the side netting.
The angle was tight but Haaland looked annoyed with himself – and defenders around Europe know you can’t keep giving him chances.
And just before the interval he made up for it, rising above Mohammed Salisu to head O’Reilly’s steeping cross into the corner.
It was a textbook centre forward’s header as he sent it back into the corner beyond Kohn.
The £51.4 million forward had only touched it seven times in the whole half but had two goals to his name – and he could have had three.
To their credit, Monaco did not give up and Donnarumma got down smartly to push away a shot from Maghnes Akliouche.
In fact the home side were having their best spell of the game with former Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun just failing to get enough on a dangerous free-kick.
But again City took control and looked to finish the game off with Reijnders smashing a long-range shot against the bar.
Haaland came agonisingly close to completing his hat-trick as his low snapshot was kept out by a flying save from Kohn.
And when he looked set to race clear in the closing stages, he was denied by a sliding tackle from former England defender Dier.
Yet the ex-Tottenham man was to have a big say in the end as he sent a header straight at Donnarumma.
Yet sub Nico Gonzalez had a foot up towards the defender’s face and he the Spanish ref was advised to have another look.
Amid chaotic scenes a red card was flashed towards the home bench by the official Jesus Manzano.
He eventually agreed it was worthy of a pen and Dier stepped up to send Donnarumma the wrong way from the spot.
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