Preview: Stage set for AS Monaco’s colossal clash vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Ahead of AS Monaco’s final Ligue 1 match of 2024 against the mighty Paris Saint-Germain, Adi Hutter shared his thoughts on a variety of subjects in the pre-match press conference.
The challenge
Wanting to finish the year on a high note, there’s no doubting ASM will need to be at a level resembling their best if they’re to triumph at the Stade Louis II over this formidable PSG outfit.
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“Obviously we want to win this clash against Paris Saint-Germain, but to do that we need to have a perfect day! They are still unbeaten at the moment in Ligue 1, and since the start of the season they have proven that they are almost untouchable,” Hutter insisted.
“Paris is obviously the favourite for this match, even if we are obviously capable of beating them. But for that we will have to play a perfect match, both defensively and offensively, and my team will have to put in a top performance.”
State of play
When asked for his take on his side’s current position and if his team still hold hope of being able to chase down PSG and get back in the title hunt, the experienced manager gave a typically honest answer, stating: “Personally, I have never talked about the title, we have never talked about it at the club! We are obviously ambitious and we will always do our utmost to finish as high as possible. But in the club, no one has talked about the title. In life, it is not forbidden to dream, that is certain, but we are already working to reduce the gap between PSG and us before thinking about anything else.
“Last year they were six points ahead of us at the same time, today they have seven. The difference is that today we are also playing in the Champions League so it is not comparable! I am not making excuses for us, these are just facts. Our desire is to show the best face of our young team every weekend, but for the moment we are not entirely satisfied.
“We were frustrated by that Reims game that we had to win, that’s for sure. I always defend my team, even if we would have liked to be better. But we currently have an average of two points per game and are in a good position in the Champions League. Then there are injuries that penalise us, like those of Denis Zakaria and Folarin Balogun, who have both already missed seven games each. We know that people expect a team to compete with PSG, but there is not only AS Monaco, but also Olympique de Marseille, Lille, Lens, Lyon, etc. I would obviously dream of winning a title with AS Monaco, but we have to be realistic.”
Akliouche’s wizardry
Next on the agenda was the exceptionally talented Maghnes Akliouche. And Hutter was full of praise for the youngster who continues to highlight why he’s one of the most exciting players in Europe.
“I’ve already said it, I felt as soon as I arrived at the club in the summer of 2023 that he was a great talent, even if he was a little frail in the duels. I had also targeted the fact that he could be more decisive, in terms of goals and assists, because he is capable of doing that. He has since become a better player by working on these points. Today, he is a fantastic player who has made very strong progress and who is much more decisive in the final move. I am very happy with his development in one year! He makes a lot of difference in our matches, and he is one of our technical leaders, like Eliesse (Ben Seghir) obviously. He is at the start of many opportunities,” he explained.
“And then look at the number of games he has played! He played in the Olympic Games, he is now playing in the Champions League. That is why we sometimes have to be careful with him and protect him from injuries in particular, because he is a key player for us. The next step for him? He has gone from being a young player to a high-performing player. He must find consistency in his performances, for the rest, I am already impressed by his progress. He runs a lot, has a real physical impact and is at the start of a lot of actions, which is the most important thing for me.”
Kehrer’s qualities
Unquestionably one of Monaco’s best and most important players this season, hearing Hutter’s opinion on defensive maestro and former PSG player Thilo Kehrer further underlined what an asset he is to the Principality club.
“When you play against your former club, the motivation is always very high, and this is the case for Thilo before this clash against PSG. He is a leader for us, whether on the pitch or in the locker room. He is connected to all the players and speaks several languages. He is therefore a very good vice-captain alongside Denis Zakaria and is currently having a very good start to the season. He is a real leader,” said the 54-year-old tactician.
Areas for improvement
Well aware his team needs to be more clinical and convert the many chances they’re creating at a better rate, while also keen to point out his side’s strengths, these were extra topics Hutter touched on. He interestingly mentioned Les Monegasques could try and bring in a striker in January due to Balogun’s injury woes as well.
“I would be more concerned if we didn’t have so many chances, except that’s not the case, we do! On the other hand, we miss these scoring opportunities too easily, as Takumi Minamino admitted, for example, after the match in Reims, who could have scored several,” he reflected.
“It’s not easy to work on finishing, however, because we don’t have much time to work between games with the sequence, not to mention the fact that we have to be careful with the workload. In any case, I believe in my players, I know that we will find our efficiency again, because we have ammunition, whether on set pieces or in the game. We will have to do without Folarin Balogun, who is out for four months, and who will have surgery tomorrow. With this absence, it is therefore necessary to keep our eyes open on the market and see what the possibilities are and what is the best solution for us.
“Currently we are the best defence in the elite with PSG, so our concern is more on the attack. We believe in our attackers, whether it is Breel Embolo or George Ilenikhena, but we must find someone who has a real scorer profile.”
Showdown awaits
With the stage now set for Monaco’s mouthwatering match with PSG, both teams will be eager to flex their muscles and rise to the occasion in this massive top of the table tussle to close out what’s been a fascinating year.