Ligue 1: AS Monaco set sights on crucial Lille clash
With only Ligue 1 left to focus on this season after their Champions League elimination, AS Monaco’s upcoming match with Lille offers them a terrific chance to get some breathing room over the fellow podium chasers.
Speaking ahead of this clash at the pre-match press conference, Adi Hutter shared his thoughts on what a tough challenge Lille will be, the UCL exit to Benfica and more.
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UCL debrief
First on the agenda was bouncing back vs. Lille following their heartbreaking UCL play-off loss and shifting all their attention to ending the Ligue 1 campaign on a high.
“We always do our best to analyse the matches and especially our mistakes and what we can improve on. We had a good meeting with the team to determine what we have to do now – the points of improvement, but also our strengths. This is the most important thing, but I don’t want to say too much about what is said internally,” Hutter explained.
“I think we are at about the same point as last season at the same time (two points more in the standings, as per the ASM website), before attacking the final sprint. We managed to finish the season well and I think we are capable of doing it again this year. It is obvious that we are going to meet one of the best teams in Ligue 1, a direct competitor for the top three, who has also played in the Champions League.
“We are ready to face them, much more than a few weeks ago, because we currently have a level close to that of the beginning of the season. Tomorrow is a very important match, not the last, but it is important and we are ready!”
Lille challenge
Knowing what a force to be reckoned with Lille are at home especially, the 55-year-old spoke insightfully on the huge test that awaits his team at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
“They are definitely one of the best teams at home, and one of the most difficult games for us to negotiate away. Last season we lost 2-0 there despite playing a very good first quarter of an hour. Unfortunately, we conceded two goals in ten minutes before half-time,” he told the media in attendance.
“They are in good form and have only lost two matches at home, although their defeat against Le Havre was unexpected. That can happen in football, and we are going there to take points. We know they are very strong at home with the support of their fans, but we showed Benfica that we can also be strong in these kinds of contexts. It will be a very interesting match in any case.”
Biereth brilliance
The next topic on the docket was the sensational form of new signing Mika Biereth, who has hit the ground running superbly since joining in January on his way to scoring seven goals in his first five Ligue 1 games.
“We signed him because we needed a real goalscorer to finish the moves, as we create a lot of opportunities in every game. For me, he is a clinical player in front of goal, but I am always cautious with young players who need to make the leap. He did good things at Sturm Graz, which he confirmed today by scoring a lot of goals. But I want to take the time with him to develop him, to make him progress, because I remind you that he had not played for a month before coming here. We are responsible for his development, but it is certain that we are happy with his performances and his impact at the moment,” said the Austrian tactician.
“I’m impressed by his debut, because he adapted very quickly and scored straight away, even though we had obviously seen footage of him. We were watching his games in Austria and I had information about his way of playing, his movements, his ability to be clinical and to be a big threat to opposing defences. He is still young and he has a very promising future. We are very happy that he chose AS Monaco to grow. We are happy to have him.”
End of season aims
Keen to enjoy an excellent final section of the crusade, it was intriguing as always to hear Hutter’s take on what the keys to success will be for his talented team.
“We are obviously very disappointed to have been eliminated from this Champions League. After the match in Lisbon, the feeling that dominated was disappointment. But I still think that we can be proud of having made a run with 13 points in the league phase. Then it was 50-50 for me against Benfica, but we are going out of the competition because of the match lost at home, in my opinion. It must also be remembered that it has been a long time since the club last played in the Champions League,” insisted the experienced boss.
“It is certain that we made too many individual errors at this level to be able to go through, because conceding four goals in two games is too much. But our participation will allow us to progress in both areas, and I hope that we will still be a tough opponent next season in C1. Then obviously it is more comfortable for a coach to have a week now to prepare for Ligue 1 matches. It is important to be able to work more on our playing principles, and we are ready for this final sprint!”
Ilenikhena excites
Having fired home three goals in his last two encounters, it’s been a joy to watch George Ilenikhena flexing his muscles following his return from injury.
“Since his return from injury, I have seen another George, fresher, more powerful! It must be said that our medical staff and the person responsible for rehabilitation worked very well with him. He scored three goals in two appearances, so he had a very big impact each time in a short playing time,” Hutter stated.
“But George is still young, and sometimes we expect too much from his talents. He is only 18, we must not forget that, and there is a gap in level between Antwerp and Monaco, which means the pressure is greater. But now he is back, and he has shown us that he can be a very good goalscorer.”
Midfield conundrums ease
Seeing as Monaco were without a host of vital players in midfield for the Benfica fixture, Hutter’s delight was clear that his selection dramas won’t be as severe in this area for the trip to Lille.
“In Benfica we were in a very special case, because we were missing Denis Zakaria, Moatasem Al-Musrati, Soungoutou Magassa and also Aleksandr Golovin, who can play in this position. Despite everything, we found a good formula for this meeting with Eliesse Ben Seghir and Maghnes Akliouche in the heart of the game,” commented the former Eintracht Frankfurt manager.
“I was very pleased with the performance of our three young players, who were dominant on the pitch. But we are recording important returns for this match against Lille, so we will see what it will be possible to do.”
Focus
In a match that pits fourth vs. fifth against each other in the Ligue 1 standings, this one’s set to be a thriller in Lille, as Monaco will be doing all they can to reign supreme and give their chances of achieving a top-three finish a massive boost.