In brief

Preview: Stage set nicely for AS Monaco’s key clash with Rennes

Fresh from securing their passage in the Champions League with a superb victory vs. Aston Villa, AS Monaco are now rapidly shifting their focus to their Ligue 1 fixture with Rennes.

Adi Hutter attended the pre-match press conference to share his thoughts on the aforementioned games and much more.

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Momentum

Having claimed their first win of 2025 over Villa, Les Monegasques are eager to keep up this momentum, which Hutter aptly spoke on, with his words on the differences between the Villa and Montpellier games especially interesting.

“I think everyone saw us competing with PSG in the title race in September, but we have always been humble. We know that we have to perform as best we can in every game and that we will have to fight for qualification in the Champions League – that is our goal and our ambition. In football, there are ups and downs. We have to stop this run because four games without a win is too much in view of our objectives,” asserted the Austrian.

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“It’s sometimes hard to explain. The first half wasn’t bad, but the second was unacceptable for me [against Montpellier]. All together, we managed to get back up and win against Aston Villa. It’s a good sign, it shows that the mentality is good. For example, Bayern lost 3-0 against Feyenoord despite having 13 shots on target. That’s football, it’s hard to explain sometimes. In Montpellier, we know that the second half was one of the worst since I arrived. The response against Aston Villa was positive, we have to continue in this direction.”

Ligue 1

Desperate to clinch their first Ligue 1 win since December 7, overcoming Rennes is vital in their search to get back into the top three in the table.

“We had an important win against Aston Villa, it gave us confidence, but it was in the Champions League. We know our current form, which means we have to put in more effort. I hope we can repeat that performance against Rennes – an experienced team with an experienced coach. We want to bounce back in the league to get back on track. We are working hard for that. I want to see the same attitude shown against Aston Villa. That is how we will get out of this situation,” insisted Hutter.

Set-piece kings

Monaco’s mastery at set pieces was another key topic of discussion, as their aptitude here has been an integral component towards what a force to be reckoned with they are going forward.

“I am more or less out of it, because it is my assistants Klaus Schmidt, Christian Peintinger and Damien Perrinelle, goalkeeping coach Frederic de Boever and our analysts who prepare the set pieces and come up with ideas. We are the second best team in this area after Arsenal. I am very happy with this strength. It is a good sign for us because we know that set pieces can be decisive like against Aston Villa,” stated the astute tactician.

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“Lamine Camara has a fantastic right foot, while Maghnes Akliouche, Aleksandr Golovin and Eliesse Ben Seghir are also excellent ball strikers capable of crossing into dangerous areas. We also have wonderful headers like Thilo Kehrer, Mohammed Salisu, Wilfried Singo and Denis Zakaria. So it’s a whole [package]. I remember one of my defenders in Austria scoring eight goals in one season, which is fabulous. But on reflection, having three players of this quality in the air is definitely the first time.”

Ben Seghir and Akliouche

The form of dynamic duo Eliesse Ben Seghir and Maghnes Akliouche was next on the agenda, and Hutter gave his opinion in a typically measured manner.

“This is Eliesse’s first real season. When I arrived last year, he was unhappy with injuries. This season, he is in good shape and has already played a lot of minutes. At 19, it is not fair to say that he has to be at his best all the time. Of course, he is playing more at the moment, but that is because he is a threat to every opponent. I am happy with his development,” the 54-year-old said.

“For Maghnes, last year was also his first season where he was fully part of the squad. He then played in the Olympic Games during the summer. So he played in a lot of games, we have to protect him by paying attention to his number of minutes.”

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Offensive efficiency

The last item on the docket was Monaco’s offensive struggles, which has seen them miss far too many presentable chances.

“We have missed several goal opportunities since the beginning, that’s true, but I would be more worried if we didn’t have any chances. If we score less, we have to know how to defend better as a team. So it was important to keep a clean sheet against Aston Villa in a game where Radek put in a great performance,” reflected Hutter.

© AS Monaco

Ready for Rennes

Primed to claim back-to-back triumphs following their tremendous efforts to reign supreme vs. Villa and well aware not to underestimate Rennes, the stage is set for a fascinating clash at the Stade Louis II, where a win could propel ASM back into the top three.