Preview: Hutter's AS Monaco set for Marseille Showdown

Having suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Benfica in the Champions League, AS Monaco are keen to bounce back with a win over Olympique de Marseille, in what will be a thrilling clash to close out Matchday 13 in Ligue 1.

Adi Hutter shared his thoughts on this match with Roberto De Zerbi’s tactically sophisticated team and more in his pre-match press conference.

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OM rundown

Excited at the prospect of facing Marseille and under no illusions what a tough test this will be, the Austrian manager provided a measured rundown of what awaits.

“When we talk about away games, I think the one in Marseille is always the most special, because of the incredible atmosphere. It’s a very big game for us, especially since we’re coming off a defeat against Benfica and have the will to bounce back,” he explained.

“It will be difficult, against a very good team that has changed coach and recruited a lot of quality players. We had a match during the week, so we have had little time to prepare for this match. But believe me, we know what we have to do and we will be ready for this big clash against OM on Sunday, between two of the best teams in Ligue 1.”

Last season’s match

When quizzed on last campaign’s action-packed fixture, the Monaco coach’s opinion made for intriguing reading.

“I don’t want to talk again about the situation of the red card on Guillermo Maripan, which conditioned the whole match. I repeat, my job is to propose the best possible team to face OM, who are more comfortable this season away, where they take a lot of points and score a lot of goals, than at home,” reflected the experienced manager.

“It was completely the opposite last season. We know that at the Stade Velodrome there is the biggest atmosphere in Ligue 1. They have a very good coach with good ideas, like us, so it will certainly be a good match between two very good teams. And maybe some details will be decisive to see who wins. So it will be a totally different match from last season.”

Best points ratio behind Claudio Ranieri

The topic of Hutter’s Monaco having the second best points per game record behind Claudio Ranieri’s team was next on the agenda.

“It’s a good statistic indeed (2.02 points per match from 46 games, as per ASM), but above all I have a great team under my command to achieve that. I came to France with my playing philosophy, and it’s the same as in my previous clubs. I like to win matches by scoring three or four goals and playing attractive football, rather than closing the game as soon as we lead. And that won’t change,” he insisted.

Game plan

Switching the focus back to OM, and Hutter was keen to stress the importance of putting in a complete performance and being strong in the duels while handling the massive occasion in a composed manner.

“Auxerre and Angers did good things against Marseille by showing beautiful sequences in transition. For me, it is obvious that a promoted team has a more compact style and tries to make the difference on the counter. But it is clear that our football is different, we believe in that. We will have to be the best in this match, where there will be a lot of duels and emotions. I can assure you that we will be able to play a top match in Marseille,” stated the 54-year-old.

Mindset of the players

Ahead of this huge encounter, nerves and mindset always arises as a hot topic of discussion. And this was no different, as Hutter, who has plenty of experience dealing with such challenges from his time as a player and a coach, gave some fascinating insights, with his words on dealing with the officials particularly ringing true after Wednesday’s contest with Benfica.

“I was also a player, and I can understand that this feeling sometimes crosses your mind on the pitch, when you don’t understand a decision. I have my opinion on the management of certain phases against Benfica, in particular the foul on Wilfried Singo, which, in my opinion, deserved a yellow card. Especially since on our side, the sanctions fell very quickly. The Benfica players were sometimes numerous around the referee and did not receive cards for that. So I can understand some of my players’ reactions, because the cards were once again brought out a little quickly on our side,” he told the media in attendance.

“Also at this level, in the Champions League against Benfica, a card taken at the start of the match can have big consequences. Then, it is obvious that we sometimes take too many cards for stupid things. We must be careful about that, because against Benfica, if we finish with eleven, I am sure that we wouldn’t have lost. We must not contest. I must prepare my players for this for Marseille, so that they control their emotions better, while respecting our playing philosophy.”

Denis Zakaria

What an integral figure Denis Zakaria is for this Les Monegasques team was then touched on, as well as the recent refereeing situation in the UCL.

“I spoke with Denis yesterday about how it is sometimes difficult to understand some rules, because each captain must have the opportunity to talk to the referee. Sometimes the referee must have more perspective to know if it is necessary to sanction. In any case, today we will have an analysis of the Benfica match. We are fully focused on the Marseille match and know that we will have to be careful to control our emotions, because the referees are very attentive to that,” said Hutter.

“We know that, but in front of more than 60,000 people and with this atmosphere, it is not always easy to be measured in your reactions. In any case, to return to Denis, he is doing well and he is close to his best level, as he showed against Benfica.”

Game time

Destined to be a pulsating clash that will be full of twists and turns, seeing who can reign supreme in the tactical battle and keep their emotions in check will be pivotal towards deciding the game.