Preview: AS Monaco ready for monumental battle with Marseille
After their slip-up against Brest last weekend, AS Monaco are determined to put that behind them as they welcome Olympique de Marseille to the Stade Louis II on Saturday.
In what will be a pivotal clash in the race for a top three finish, Adi Hutter spoke about this mouthwatering fixture against Roberto De Zerbi’s exciting outfit and more in the pre-match press conference.
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Brest reflections
Kicking things off with his take on the loss vs Brest and Hutter’s answer aptly summed up the match and where his team went wrong.
“It’s important from my point of view as a coach to remember that we always win and lose together! We didn’t show our best performance in Brest, let’s be honest. We struggled after the first quarter of an hour until the break, even though the second half was quite respectable in my opinion. The match was too open on our side. I don’t really like that, and that’s the reason why we didn’t take any points from there,” Hutter recalled.
Recent form
Next on the agenda were his thoughts on his team’s recent form, which has been largely solid on their way to winning three of their last five matches.
“Eight defeats this season is obviously too many! But on the other hand, we’re third, just two points behind Olympique de Marseille, against whom we’re going to play a “Champions League” match,” he commented.
“After the fantastic performance we had in the Derby against Nice (2-1 victory), we are not satisfied with the way we played in Brest, even though they are a difficult team to play. Saturday, we face a completely different match against OM, who have a completely different style of play, based on possession.”
Costly mistakes
One theme that has definitely proved costly throughout the campaign is the many frustrating errors his team have committed. But the experienced Hutter has been keen to stress how crucial it is for the team to remain united despite these challenges.
“There have certainly been too many individual errors this season, sometimes from defenders or goalkeepers, but sometimes we also miss the opportunity to score more goals, so we can’t blame this or that individual. Again, it’s the responsibility of the entire team; I’m not at all the type to want to blame any particular player,” said the Austrian tactician.
“In this final sprint, we must instead be close to each other and be united to prepare for the challenges that await us, especially for this historic duel in the south of France. The most important thing is that we have all the cards in hand to decide our future. It’s up to us to seize this opportunity to move up to second place in the Ligue 1 standings.”
Goalkeeping stance
Hutter’s stance on the goalkeeping situation was another hot topic of discussion, for it’s been a tough thing for the ASM manager to deal with, as both Philipp Kohn and Radoslaw Majecki have had their ups and downs.
“We won’t be changing this weekend. It doesn’t make sense to change players in this position every two games, especially since we believe in Philipp. We obviously exchange our opinions among ourselves within the coaching staff, even if the goalkeeping coach’s opinion counts for a lot. But for me, it doesn’t make sense to talk about this topic further. For us, it’s clear that Philipp will play against Marseille,” stated the experienced boss.
“It’s also my responsibility as a coach to show confidence in the players. Our four goalkeepers trained really well during the week, and I can’t say they aren’t focused. It was our decision to keep him because we have good conversations with him. This mistake is behind him; he no longer thinks about it, and I see a goalkeeper who is ready to go back into action.”
De Zerbi’s OM
Facing off with De Zerbi’s OM, who also play an expansive and offensively geared brand of football, is a challenge Hutter is relishing. Full of praise for the Italian’s philosophy and approach, his words on his style made for intriguing reading.
“I saw their match against Toulouse (3-2 win), like most of their matches this season. They have a clear idea and structure put in place by Roberto De Zerbi. I know they only have one real defender available in this three-man central defence, and sometimes they have difficulties in this area, like we do. So we will have to find the right solution for this match, but I am convinced that we can be a threat to them,” he insisted.
“They like to build up their play, with Geronimo Rulli in particular, who is very available to restart the game. Adrien Rabiot is in fantastic form at the moment, and Mason Greenwood could be the decisive player, making the difference with his dribbling, technique and speed. Their style could be a threat to us; at least we know their qualities.”
Champions League debrief
Following a fascinating set of Champions League first leg quarter-finals, it was terrific to hear the 55-year-old provide his takeaways and look back at the matches ASM played against Barcelona, Inter Milan and Arsenal, who all enjoyed smashing victories.
“Everyone now recognises that we had one of the toughest groups in the competition, seeing that three of the four teams that took an option for the semi-finals were in it (Arsenal, Barcelona and Inter Milan). When you see that Real Madrid lost 3-0 at Arsenal, like us, it shows that we faced very strong opponents,” he reflected.
“So we should be even more proud of having obtained 13 points in this journey, even if today we are no longer in contention. But if I had to choose a favourite, I saw the Barcelona game yesterday, because I already know very well the level of Paris Saint-Germain, who, for me, have the makings of a finalist. Barcelona and Inter Milan are also very strong. We will see what the verdict is, but I must say that the level of the Champions League this season is fantastic.”
Battle awaits
Fired up to give it their all and come out on top in this massive clash against OM after a strong week of preparation, watching how they perform in this box office encounter will be utterly compelling.
