Mohammed Salisu of Monaco is about to reach a momentous career turning point as he prepares to play in his first Champions League match against Barcelona.

The Ghanaian defender sees this game as a critical test, particularly in light of Monaco’s outstanding Ligue 1 season-long winning streak.

In an exclusive interview with Flashscore, Salisu said, “Yeah, I think this will be my debut in the Champions League. It’s an important game for the team and for me as well, so we need to focus on the game.”

Salisu will face the Catalan giants more than once in this match. He played several La Liga matches against Barcelona while at Real Valladolid, where he gained invaluable experience against one of the best teams in Europe. Salisu was a member of the Monaco team that won the preseason Gamper Trophy, shocking Barcelona with a 3-0 victory.

Yet since that preseason match, a lot has changed in the area. Barcelona is presently leading La Liga after hitting a hot streak of victories in all of their games. Salisu and his Monaco teammates face a great task as a result of this revival.

Salisu maintains his confidence despite Barcelona’s current performance by using his prior encounters with the Spanish team. “Yes, it wasn’t an easy game, but we prevailed, and you know how they play, with good players up front who are dangerous, so we just need to play with everything we have, just like we did the last time,” he said.

Salisu’s cautious optimism captures the fine line that must be drawn between acknowledging Barcelona’s superiority and continuing to have faith in Monaco’s capacity to contend at the greatest level.

This week’s Champions League will begin with a match between the two teams on Thursday.