Preview: Stage set for AS Monaco’s massive match vs. PSG
Ligue 1’s game of Matchday 21 features a clash of the titans, as AS Monaco take on Paris Saint-Germain ready to make a statement ahead of their Champions League play-off vs. Benfica.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, it was terrific as always to hear Adi Hutter’s thoughts on this colossal fixture, new signing Moatasem Al-Musrati and more.
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Al-Musrati joins
The first topic on the docket was the arrival of experienced central midfield Al-Musrati, who will crucially add some quality and depth for Les Monegasques in the heart of the pitch.
“Moatasem is an experienced 28-year-old player with over 250 games to his name, including many European Cup matches in the Champions League and Europa League. As you may have noticed, he is a bit shy in front of the media, but on the pitch, he knows exactly what he has to do. He is a possession player who has good technical ideas. He has good passing quality in the short game as well as on long balls, in addition to being able to make switches to the wings,” Hutter explained.
“He is also there to share his experience with the young players who are developing. He is there to help them, advise them and be their support. He is the experienced player we were looking for and he will show that on the field.
“He was followed by our scouting unit. He had played against AS Monaco in the Europa League in 2022, and had notably won 2-0 with Braga in Portugal, where he had been the best player on the pitch. When you see the footage, he also showed his qualities at Besiktas. He is very interesting on set pieces, with a good heading game. We are looking forward to seeing what he can bring us, and now the competition is open in this sector, so we are happy to have him here. In any case, he is already training with us and played last week in Turkey. He is in good shape, so he will obviously be ready to make the trip to Paris.”
PSG awaits
Knowing what a stern test PSG will offer, Hutter spoke insightfully on what a terrific team Luis Enrique’s team are and how eager he is to claim victory over this star-studded side.
“First of all, no team in France has managed to beat this team, only Atletico Madrid came to the Parc des Princes and won. For me, they are one of the best teams in Europe at the moment. They beat us here in December, but also at the Champions Trophy in Doha, where it was closer,” insisted the Austrian.
“They were better than us, but if we had gone to the penalty shootout, nobody knows what would have happened. At the moment they are very solid, but I always like to go there to show the best possible performance and be competitive. And if we have a great game, anything is possible.
“We just played Inter Milan, who are also a very big team, even if we can’t compare the style of play of these two teams. Arsenal were also a very big test I must say. What is certain is that they have very good players and that they are playing impressive football at the moment. I think that Inter, Arsenal and Paris are the three strongest teams we have faced this season.”
Hutter’s contract extension
Next on the agenda was Hutter’s recent contract extension with the Principality club, and he spoke with joy about committing his future to ASM.
“Firstly, everyone knows that I have been very happy here in Monaco since I arrived a year and a half ago. So I want to continue to be part of this project. Thiago said what our ambitions were for the future, and I have to say that I love this club. I love being here, especially here at the Performance Centre, where I feel good. We want to continue the development of this team, to progress together and maybe I am the right coach for that. I am not just passing through,” the 54-year-old told the media.
“I like to commit to an ambitious project over the long term. And I believe that my mentality and personality are a perfect fit for AS Monaco. When the institution is happy with the results, it’s normal for the collaboration to continue. My goal is to work hard every day and get results. If I wasn’t satisfied, I wouldn’t be the coach of this team anymore. We want to continue on this path, it’s not always easy because there are big challenges, but that’s what I like deep down.”
Biereth and Embolo
Another intriguing talking point was Hutter’s opinion on dynamic strike duo Mika Biereth and Breel Embolo and whether they should be deployed together.
“The match against Auxerre showed us that they are capable of playing together. After the game, I said that we could play with two strikers, but that in my opinion Breel and George have a bit of the same profile. It is possible to play with two, and I want to have several possibilities in my hands, depending on the current form,” stated the astute tactician on the pair, who were in fine form against Auxerre, as Biereth scored a sensational hat-trick and Embolo bagged two assists.
“Because we can play with three or four at the back, two or three number 10s and one or two strikers, we will see how we play against PSG. We will have to be able to suffer, and if we show our qualities and our football, I am curious to see if we are able to do something.”
Game on
In an encounter that promises to be an absolute thriller, watching how Hutter’s men fare against one of the premier outfits in European football will be unmissable, as they look to reign supreme on the big stage this Friday night.