Preview: Pocognoli speaks ahead of crucial Champions League clash vs Bodø/Glimt
© AS Monaco
With AS Monaco set to face Bodø/Glimt in a pivotal Champions League encounter, manager Sébastien Pocognoli shared his thoughts in the pre-match press conference on the test awaiting his side in Norway’s Arctic Circle.
Injury worries
First on the agenda was focusing on winning this huge fixture, which will be easier said than done, given the many injury issues Pocongoli faces.
“We’ve turned the page on Ligue 1, and we’re now focused on the Champions League, where we’re missing two more players. However, I’m not dwelling on that but solely focusing on the strengths of our squad,” he explained.
“Since I arrived, it’s been a similar situation, but we’ll find the best solutions because there’s still a lot of potential to explore. In any situation, there’s always a way to find good answers, as we’ve seen in recent weeks with certain players who have been able to show what they can do. I hope we’ll experience more of these opportunities, both collectively and individually. There are many players I haven’t had available yet. I’m waiting for them to return so I can assess them on the pitch every day. There are three more players unavailable since I arrived: Christian, Krépin and Ansu. I have to accept that and make the best choices possible. So far, we’ve had some good moments and some more difficult ones, but I’m satisfied with how we’re managing to develop our style of play despite all these absences.”
First Champions League victory the aim
Reflecting on Monaco’s Champions League journey so far, Pocognoli maintained perspective and struck a balanced tone, insisting: “Our focus is first and foremost on putting in a good performance, even though we know our current record. I think that taking a point against Manchester City and against Tottenham, where objectively we deserved the win, aren’t necessarily bad results.
“Naturally, when you drop points in Bruges, you have to make them up. We have a match tomorrow where we need to make up for that. After this away game, we’ll be halfway through this league phase. As I’ve already said, we had a perfect final sprint last season, so anything is still possible. But if we win tomorrow, we can put ourselves in a more comfortable position.”
Familiar foe
Having faced the Norwegian outfit during his time in charge of Union Saint-Gilloise, it was intriguing to hear his opinion on Bodø/Glimt and the threat they pose.
“I know them well because I played against them with my former club, Union Saint-Gilloise, in Brussels. I remember we drew 0-0 during their fantastic Europa League campaign. I know their team and their style of play implemented by the coach, since there are many similar faces. I respect them because they show many qualities; they deserve to be where they are. But we are ambitious; we always try to play for the three points,” he acknowledged.
“I think the reality is that we know where we stand because we saw several teams surprised on this pitch last season. We know it will be a difficult match, and we’ll have to do our best. That’s the only answer I can give, and I hope we’ll have a good game of football tomorrow, with a victory as the reward. But before that, we have to give it our all, I repeat. We know Bodø are very strong at home, we know what we’re up against. I think we’ll need to be consistent as a team and show the right attitude and character. They have a lot of quality, but their strength lies in their teamwork because they’ve developed a strong understanding and cohesion over the past few years.”
Pitch
The Belgian coach then discussed the challenge of playing on the synthetic turf, which will be another significant factor in their quest to reign supreme.
“We didn’t have time to train on it in France, we’ll do it here today. We have to adapt to this environment and this artificial pitch. We have young players who grew up on this type of surface, while the older players haven’t always played on good grass. It’s part of football, there’s nothing more to say,” stated the 39-year-old.
Norwegian football
Finally, Pocognoli reflected on the growth of Norwegian football with words of admiration for the country’s football development, commenting: “From my perspective, Norwegian football is growing; there are some fantastic players in the national team. Bodø, for example, is an excellent example. I have empathy and respect for them because we compared my former club to them a lot last season and this season, considering they were both smaller teams.
“This shows that anything is possible when you work hard and consistently. The geographical location probably contributes to an even stronger sense of unity, including with the fans. It’s a great story, and I think it’s good for the country.”
Eyes on
With all the talking done, the time for action is now, as Monaco chase a coveted three points, which would be the perfect way to inject life into their European campaign.