AS Monaco: Hutter speaks ahead of colossal Champions League clash with Barcelona
On the eve of AS Monaco’s 2024/2025 Champions League campaign, Adi Hutter spoke at the press conference ahead of his team’s mouthwatering clash with FC Barcelona at the Stade Louis II.
Special night for Hutter
Excited at the prospect of managing his first game in the prestigious competition, this will be a very special night indeed for ASM’s Austrian tactician. “It’s true that for me it will be a debut in the Champions League, even though I already have more than 60 European matches under my belt as a coach, in the Europa League in particular and in the C1 play-offs,” he explained. “It will therefore be a special evening for me, but also for the whole club, which is eagerly awaiting this return to the competition after six years of absence. Especially when I hear the Champions League anthem, I will have a few shivers.
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“With Salzburg and then with Bern, we were close to playing in the group stage of the Champions League each time. But with Young Boys, we came up against Borussia Monchengladbach and then against CSKA Moscow. We still had the opportunity to play in the Europa League. In any case, I am very happy that we had a very good season last year with AS Monaco, in order to obtain our qualification for this magnificent competition. And I am now impatient to be there tomorrow evening.”
An exceptional Barcelona awaits
Monaco’s experienced manager is well aware of the immense challenge that lies ahead for his team, for Barcelona are in scintillating form at present and are in a far better spot than they were when Les Monegasques defeated them 0-3 in pre-season to win the Joan Gamper Trophy.
“We can’t compare these two games in my opinion. Since our victory against Barcelona in a friendly (0-3), they have had a fantastic start to the season, with five wins in as many La Liga games and already 17 goals scored, an average of nearly three goals per game. In August, they had absentees and so did we, and Barca were not in the same athletic form,” Hutter insisted.
“Hansi Flick is implementing his style of play, and it is much more noticeable than a few weeks ago. We both know each other and have a lot of respect for each other. We both had a good start to the season, so we are ready for this big clash!
“Obviously FC Barcelona is the biggest team we’re going to face since the beginning of our season, with all the respect I have for the French teams. But at the moment, Barca is the team with the biggest impact and the greatest quality. We faced them a few weeks ago, we know them well. I know what Hansi Flick’s philosophy is, and he is applying it and doing a very good job, with very aggressive pressing and counter-pressing, as he showed at Bayern Munich. We cannot compare the face of Barcelona in friendly matches and in the Champions League, but we too will be a different team that is capable of playing at a high level.”
ASM’s previous UCL exploits
Hutter then shared his thoughts on his memories of Monaco’s previous Champions League adventures, commenting: “We can’t compare the periods, in my opinion, especially when we talk about the 2016/2017 epic. It was a pleasure to watch AS Monaco at that time, even as an outsider. Now we have a new format with a single table, 36 teams, so it’s very different from before.
“In the past, the Champions League has revealed players to the eyes of all, like Kylian Mbappe. Others more experienced, like Radamel Falcao. While some have been able to make a name for themselves like Bernardo Silva and Fabinho. Today, we have talents like Eliesse Ben Seghir, Maghnes Akliouche and Lamine Camara, who are not yet very well known in Europe. But this campaign is a good opportunity for them to shine.”
Monaco’s mentality
When asked on his players mentality heading into this encounter, it was interesting to hear his comments, as he noted just playing in the Champions League will be a huge boost to his team. “I don’t really need to motivate my players to play this match tomorrow. When the lights of the Stade Louis II come on and you hear the Champions League anthem, I think that’s motivation enough,” he insisted.
“As a club, hosting FC Barcelona for the kick-off of the competition at home, we could hardly have dreamed of anything better. They are one of the best teams in the world, and we want to rub shoulders with the best teams, technically, tactically but also mentally. They love to play these kinds of matches!”
Ready for this tough examination and eager to begin their UCL campaign on a high, watching how Hutter’s Monaco handle facing off against this supremely talented Barca will be unmissable, as the fans in attendance and watching across the world are set to be treated to a real footballing feast.