Preview: AS Monaco aiming to reignite Champions League push vs Auxerre

After stumbling against Paris FC, AS Monaco now turn their attention to AJ Auxerre on Sunday, eager to put themselves back in the Champions League conversation. Sébastien Pocognoli stressed in the build‑up that his squad are intent on delivering a reaction in front of their home crowd.

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With the pressure tightening and the margin for error shrinking, the Belgian manager voiced exactly what he expects from his side in the crucial run-in.

“There are still five matches left, and we know we’re starting with a points deficit compared to our rivals. So we need to get back on a winning streak and wait for the other results. The only thing we can do is focus on ourselves, like we did during our seven-game winning run, even though we knew it would end eventually because it happens to every club. We can learn a lot from this, that’s what I told the players,” he told the media.

“Now, we need to see how we can use this defeat to improve and try to finish the season strong, especially mentally. (Regarding Maghnes being a substitute and Golo’s absence in Paris) We know how important they are, but we’ve always managed to find solutions, like in Lens, where we won without them. Their form is important for the team, but we had everything we needed to put in a good performance; we were simply less effective as a team in many areas.”

Auxerre

When the discussion shifted to Auxerre, Pocognoli pointed out that Monaco should expect another tight, grinding contest, stating: “After a great victory against Lens and PSG, we saw that the matches against Angers and Brest weren’t easy either; the game was decided later on. I therefore expect a similar situation against Auxerre, especially since they have a similar run of form to Paris FC, having lost very few matches in the last two months (2 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses during that period). This match against Paris FC will immediately serve as a benchmark for us to avoid repeating.

“We must learn from defeats; sometimes we learn more than from 10 consecutive wins. A loss can indeed put things into perspective. It will be a difficult match against a team with a lot of individual quality, an aggressive style off the ball and speed, like Paris FC. We need to learn and be much better as a team because if we were exposed defensively, it means our forward lines were less solid. We need to react and play to what we do best.”

Defensive changes

Asked whether the defeat would prompt a rethink in defence, it was interesting to hear Pocognoli push back on the idea of making sweeping changes.

“I think we shouldn’t rethink everything after a defeat; we simply need to correct what wasn’t done as well. Lamine (Camara) will be absent, so there will inevitably be adjustments. Throwing away everything that was done well before isn’t the right way to proceed. I believe in taking responsibility to react and show that it was just a temporary setback; we’ll have the answer on Sunday,” insisted the ASM boss.

Balogun’s fine form

Pocognoli also took time to highlight Balogun’s mindset, as he highlighted how his confidence and self‑awareness are driving his sensational scoring form that’s seen him score in seven consecutive league matches.

“He’s confident, but he’s also realistic about what he can improve, and that’s what makes him strong. At the same time, he continues to challenge himself and take on the challenges the staff and I present to him. He knows his areas for improvement, which gives him the confidence to get where he is today. There are five league matches left, he still has many goals, and we’re going to make sure he achieves them,” explained the 38-year-old.

“I don’t think he sets limits for himself; he’s more focused on improving aspects of his game, especially his heading. He’s improved with his back to goal, his lay-offs and his finishing, but he still wants to improve and he’s receptive to feedback. It’s a pleasure to have a player like him.”

Academy milestone

The final topic on the agenda was Pocognoli’s thoughts on the club’s famed Academy, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this weekend, with him underlining what a central place in Monaco’s identity it holds.

“First and foremost, I’m proud to work for a club where the Academy is undoubtedly one of its greatest assets. Youth development is very important to me because I started my playing career very early, before transitioning to youth teams. It’s something I care deeply about, which is why I want to build on the Diagonale program in the future. We’ve seen the development of some players this year, and I hope we can continue in this way. To achieve that, we need to keep working together to continue promoting the Academy positively. In any case, I’m going to do everything I can to help these promising young players reach their full potential at the right time,” he said.

Win needed

Having dropped to seventh in the Ligue 1 table following last week’s loss, securing all three points is imperative vs Auxerre if Monaco are to keep their Champions League qualification hopes alive.