# AS Monaco defeats CSKA Sofia 2-1; CSKA draws in BulgarianCup > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/cska-sofia-and-as-monaco-uefa-conference-league-match > Updated: 2026-10-16T19:12:46.000Z. Sources: 19. Developments: 4. AS Monaco defeated CSKA Sofia 2-1 in their opening UEFA Conference League group stage match at the Vasil Levski National Stadium on October 15, 2026. Monaco secured an early advantage through Paris Brunner in the third minute, before Ansu Fati doubled the lead in the 43rd minute. Although CSKA Sofia applied significant pressure—recording over 20 shots compared to Monaco’s 10—they were unable to overcome the deficit. Joel Schwarz scored a late goal for the Bulgarian side in the 76th minute to narrow the margin. Despite the loss, CSKA Sofia’s offensive activity placed them third in UEFA statistics for total attacks in the tournament's group stage. Following the match, CSKA sporting director Valentin Iliev and executive director Vangel Vangelov noted that the team played competitively, though they expressed frustration over a missed penalty opportunity involving Stefano Sensi. CSKA captain Bruno Jordao also expressed frustration regarding a non-awarded penalty that VAR reportedly upheld. Additionally, former player Georgi Iliev-Maikla noted that while the team played well, defensive errors and a lack of confidence remain issues for the squad. On October 16, 2026, CSKA Sofia competed in a Bulgarian Cup 1/16-final against Nesebar. Despite early pressure from Mohamed Brahimi and James Eto’o, the match ended in a 0-0 draw. Nesebar, a Second League side, managed to hold the current cup holders to a stalemate. Prior to the match, Nesebar captain Plamen Dimov praised the technical ability and physical presence of CSKA forward Joel Swartz. ## Claims - CSKA Sofia is hosting Monaco at the Vasil Levski National Stadium for a Conference League match. (corroborated by 3 sources) - CSKA defender Jean-Philippe Gbamen is unavailable for the match due to injury. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Monaco currently leads the French Ligue 1 with 14 points after six rounds. (corroborated by 3 sources) - CSKA Sofia's manager Marcus Gisdol recently led the team to a 3-2 victory against CSKA 1948. (corroborated by 3 sources) - More than 20,000 fans are expected to attend the match. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Mohamed Brahimi is suspended and will not play in the match. (single source) - Angelo Martino is available to play for CSKA Sofia. (single source) - Monaco striker Folarin Balogun is not included in the squad for the tournament. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-16: Nesebar and CSKA Sofia draw 0-0 in Bulgarian Cup CSKA Sofia and Nesebar drew 0-0 in their Bulgarian Cup 1/16-final match, marking the first meeting between the clubs in the tournament since 2017. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cska-and-levski-sofia-see-mixed-results-in-domestic-and-european-football ### 2026-10-14: AS Monaco defeats CSKA Sofia 2-1 in Conference League opener AS Monaco defeated CSKA Sofia 2-1 in the UEFA Conference League opener, with goals from Paris Brunner and Ansu Fati, despite a late response from the Bulgarian hosts. 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cska-sofia-hosts-as-monaco-in-conference-league-opener-1 ### 2026-10-13: Joao Goncalves appointed to referee CSKA Sofia vs AS Monaco Portuguese referee Joao Goncalves has been appointed by UEFA to officiate the UEFA Conference League match between CSKA Sofia and AS Monaco on October 15. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/joao-goncalves-appointed-to-referee-cska-sofia-vs-as-monaco ### 2026-10-12: CSKA Sofia hosts AS Monaco in UEFA Conference League opener CSKA Sofia hosts AS Monaco in the UEFA Conference League opener at the Vasil Levski National Stadium, with over 15,000 tickets already sold for the high-stakes European fixture. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cska-sofia-hosts-as-monaco-in-uefa-conference-league-match --- Cite as: AS Monaco defeats CSKA Sofia 2-1; CSKA draws in BulgarianCup. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/cska-sofia-and-as-monaco-uefa-conference-league-match