Champions League: Colossal Manchester City test awaits AS Monaco
Mika Biereth and Adi Hütter © Loïc SAVARESSE - Monaco Tribune
On the eve of AS Monaco’s huge clash against Manchester City, Adi Hütter and his striker Mika Biereth both called on the troops to unite and believe in their chances of triumphing at the Stade Louis-II.
Between confidence and reality, the Monaco coach indicated that his team will have to achieve its best performance of the season if they’re to overcome one of the best teams in the world.
A team decimated by injuries
Out of form and with unconvincing results in recent weeks, ASM is also having to deal with a series of injuries to key players, as Christian Mawissa, Lukáš Hrádecký, Aleksandr Golovin, Denis Zakaria, Aladji Bamba and Lamine Camara will all be missing. “We are extremely unlucky at the moment, especially in midfield, where we have lost almost all our players,” lamented the Austrian coach, while refusing to make excuses.
Maghnes Akliouche, who missed the trip to Lorient on the weekend, trained this morning and is positively expected to return to the squad. Regarding Paul Pogba, who is now training with his teammates, Hütter tempered expectations, stating: “We were hoping to see him perhaps in the squad for the match against Nice, but it will probably be a little later. I hope that after the international break, he can be part of the squad.”
Ansu Fati in fine form
For Monaco, the Spanish winger is certainly the biggest source of satisfaction from the start of the campaign. Having scored four goals in three matches despite not yet starting for the Red and Whites, Hütter noted that the decision will be made tomorrow, but that there was a chance he could run out from the outset. “He can start, yes. Since he started playing, Ansu has been performing well and is capable of doing great things at certain moments of the match. We will see tomorrow morning if he is able to start because we have an equally important match this weekend in Nice. However, we are fully focused on Man City, but I think he is capable of playing from the first minute,” explained the ASM boss.
Mika Biereth in search of confidence
After a fantastic first four months with the Principality club, the Danish international forward has had a difficult start to the new crusade. Having scored just one goal against Metz, he admitted he is in a difficult phase. “At the moment, I’m going through one of those periods where, as a striker, things aren’t going very well. But I have to keep working hard and putting myself in the right positions,” he commented.
A crucial part of Hütter’s system, the Austrian coach was keen to mention he has his full support. “It’s thanks to him that we can play tomorrow against Manchester City, thanks to the goals he scored. Mika will come back, that’s for sure. It’s in his nature, and I’m not worried,” he told the media in attendance.
A big admirer of Erling Haaland, Biereth will be able to draw inspiration from the Norwegian talisman on the pitch tomorrow evening. “I can learn a lot from him. Being on the pitch with him tomorrow will allow me to see how he performs but also to measure myself against players of this level,” insisted Biereth.
Manchester City, mission impossible?
Winners of the 2022 Champions League and Premier League champions eight times in the last 13 years, Monaco know they’re welcoming a true behemoth of European football to the Louis-II. “We’re playing against one of the best teams in the world. Everyone knows the coach, everyone knows the players,” acknowledged the 55-year-old.
The Austrian coach still remained upbeat about his team’s hopes of prevailing. In 2025, AS Monaco has only lost once at home in official competition (against Benfica in the Champions League play-offs) and intends to extend their strong run. “We must have confidence and believe that we can beat them. But for that, we will need an exceptional performance in all areas,” asserted Hütter.
Defensively speaking, the coach identified the weak points to be addressed, reflecting: “We have conceded too many goals for a team of our level. We need to do better defensively, especially on set pieces and in transition.”
Silva’s return
A powerful symbol for Monaco fans, the Portuguese maestro Bernardo Silva is also set to make his long-awaited return to the Louis-II Stadium more than eight years after his departure, which will serve as an interesting subplot.
After a heavy defeat vs Club Brugge in their opening UCL fixture, ASM will be doing everything in their power to get their European adventure back on track even if they know that’ll be easier said than done against Pep Guardiola’s exceptional Man City side.