AS Monaco hosts Paris Saint-Germain for their huge clash in the 14th matchday of Ligue 1. A classic of the championship that Sébastien Pocognoli’s men hope to win against the reigning French champions to regain some positive momentum.
Two days after securing a point in their Champions League encounter in Cyprus with Pafos, ASM are preparing to host the mighty PSG at the Stade Louis-II this Saturday afternoon (5 pm). A prestigious fixture vs the league leaders, which coach Sébastien Pocognoli and goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký are approaching with determination.
Everything to gain
With only one win so far this November, Monaco intends to conclude the month in style before entering December with a more relaxed atmosphere. But against the European champions, the task ahead is daunting, and Pocognoli knows it. “Everyone is aware of their collective and individual qualities. They’ve had stability for several years and have quality players; there’s no need to elaborate further. We’re aware of the opponent we’re facing and our own strengths. We’ll have to play to those strengths to win the match in the way we want to go,” he declared at the press conference.
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AS Monaco haven’t beaten the capital club since February 2023 and are currently on a three-game losing streak in Ligue 1. However, the Belgian manager believes in his players’ ability to turn things around. “It’s a great challenge, we have everything to gain. We’ll need to put in a good performance and try to be as ambitious as possible. We want to play high up the pitch, pressing them in their own half, while maintaining a positive and winning mentality,” he added.
Returning three months after a knee injury, Hrádecký said he was happy to be back on the pitch. “To be honest, it’s the longest injury I’ve had in my career. I’m glad to be back, and I hope I can help the team more than I have in the last two games, because conceding six goals is not satisfactory,” mentioned the 36-year-old Finn.
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He also admitted he believes his teammates can pull off an upset, regardless of how brilliant the opposition is. “I wouldn’t say we have nothing to lose against them, but rather everything to gain! This team was simply incredible last season. On our side, some long-term injured players are returning, so it takes time to adapt to the coach’s style of play. It’s a complicated situation, but I can guarantee you that everyone is fighting to improve it,” he insisted.
A group lacking consistency
Inconsistent since the start of the campaign, the club from the Principality often pays dearly for its mistakes, whether at the end of matches or from set pieces. “It’s frustrating because when we analysed the opponent, set pieces were the main threat. We’re trying to change the mentality by showing them footage,” explained the former Union Saint-Gilloise coach.
“We know we need to regain stability. We are currently going through a difficult period with a change of coach and a very busy schedule. It’s a test for all of us! We just have to try to turn this situation around and start winning again as soon as possible,” asserted the Monaco goalkeeper.
Ambition undiminished
Against Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco will disappointingly have to do without captain Denis Zakaria, which is a real blow. “We’ll miss him, that’s for sure,” lamented Pocognoli. “He’s our captain, he had a good game in Pafos in terms of attitude, and he provided that link between the lines. We have enough quality in the squad to compensate for that.”
He then touched on the possibility of Paul Pogba starting, commenting: “Paul is certainly an option given his profile, but we’ll have to take it step by step with his physical condition. We’re moving in the right direction, and we hope to give him a few more minutes on the pitch.”
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Sitting eighth in the standings, eight points off the podium, Monaco are fully determined to reclaim a top-three finish next spring. “We’ll try to stay in contention, as that was our stated ambition at the start of the season. We’ll have to do everything we can to close the gap despite a difficult schedule and get as close as possible, hoping to finish the season on an upward trajectory.”
A win over the Parisians would secure Monaco’s first victory against a top side and give them a crucial boost ahead of important encounters with Galatasaray and Marseille before year’s end.
