Teze, Dier and Ouattara react after the draw against City

A few moments after a great performance and a draw against the Sky Blues (2-2), the two Monaco scorers, as well as the team's left back, spoke in the mixed zone.

They knew they would have to suffer to hope to take anything away from a visit from Manchester City. This is what the AS Monaco players were able to do to allow them to secure a draw thanks to a penalty converted by Eric Dier at the end of the match (2-2). The central defender was thus in the mixed zone, as was Jordan Teze, the other scorer and Kassoum Ouattara. 🎙️

Good evening, Jordan. Tell us about your goal, which was a real gem…

It was a beautiful goal, indeed, especially against a goalkeeper like Gianluigi Donnarumma, one of the best in the world in his position. Krépin gave me the ball, I had time, and all I could think about was shooting, and it went in! I tried the same goal in the second half with my left foot; I was feeling confident, and I’ll try again next time.

JORDAN TEZE RÉPOND À HAALAND ET ÉGALISE POUR MONACO ☄️

Les hommes du Rocher sont à hauteur de Manchester City en direct sur CANAL+FOOT 🇲🇨#MONMCI | #UCLpic.twitter.com/aZkH66pTsG

— CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) October 1, 2025

We were simply a team, we played together. At the beginning of the week, the coach told us repeatedly that we had to be prepared to suffer against Manchester City, one of the best teams in the world. By playing like that, we knew we were going to put in a superb performance on the pitch.

How does the team feel after this match?

This is a really important point for us because we knew it was going to be a very difficult match. Everyone fought hard and was ready to suffer. We were rewarded with the late equalizer and a deserved draw. Many people thought City would win at kickoff, but we managed to prove the statistics wrong.

What went well tonight?

We were simply a team, we played together. At the beginning of the week, the coach told us repeatedly that we had to be prepared to suffer against Manchester City, one of the best teams in the world. By playing like that, we knew we were going to put in a superb performance on the pitch.

Do you feel this is a benchmark match for this season?

I think so. If we can repeat this match consistently, it could lead to many victories. We know it’s not possible every time, but it’s important to maintain our style of play at all times.

Les mots de Jordan Teze après #ASMMCI 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/eZcJFFBMNY

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) October 1, 2025

How are you feeling about your new role in midfield?

I’m enjoying playing in this position. The coach has given me a lot of confidence, and I feel free. It’s a different role than what I’m used to playing at right-back. If a player gives me the ball, I have to look first to see if someone is coming to press me, even more so against Manchester City, because they come up high.

On savait que ça allait être une rencontre très difficile face à une équipe comme Manchester City. Ils possèdent des joueurs fantastiques qui se côtoient depuis plusieurs années et sont très bien organisés sur le terrain. Mais sur l'ensemble du match, je trouve que nous avons su bien gérer, notamment avec le ballon, pour nous permettre de nous procurer plusieurs occasions.

Eric DierSon sentiment sur le match

What do you like about the play of Ansu Fati?

A lot of things! Ansu is comfortable with the ball, you can tell he’s been around great players at Barça. He also knows when it’s necessary to accelerate; he’s so strong and intelligent. He adds something positive to our team. He’s pretty laid-back on a daily basis and also tries to speak French, which is good.

The reaction og Eric Dier

Good evening, Eric. Is this the kind of match you were expecting tonight?

We knew it was going to be a very difficult encounter against a team like Manchester City. They have fantastic players who have played together for several years and are very well organized on the pitch. But overall, I think we managed well, especially with the ball, allowing us to create several chances.

We expected to lose possession and struggle. As in 99% of football matches, you have to know how to use the ball well, which is what we did thanks to our defensive play and Philipp, who allowed us to move up our block and create several chances. We also knew how to defend well together, staying united, and everyone worked very hard.

« Nous avons montré beaucoup de caractère » 🗣️

Les mots d’Eric Dier après le match nul face à Manchester City 👊

2️⃣-2️⃣ #ASMMCIpic.twitter.com/GvlOz1wqZh

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) October 1, 2025

How do you rate this point?

A draw is never a great result, but I think this one was a good one against a team like Manchester City. We managed well to keep the score at 1-2, and as I said, when we had the ball, even if it wasn’t often, we managed to create opportunities, which is how we were able to equalize. (His penalty? I practice those and I was ready to take it.)

So we can be happy. We knew they were going to have chances, they notably hit the bar twice, but we had to limit them as best we could. That’s what we did well overall, even if it’s frustrating to have conceded two goals.

Do you consider this match to be the starting point for the start of the season?

No, because we have already played six league games and one Champions League match this season before this one. The season is still long, there’s still a long way to go, it’s just a matter of moving on to the next match now, against Nice, on Sunday. Even though we lost the last game, it’s always important to remember that we can have one more chance a few days later; that’s the beauty of football.

How are things with Folarin Balogun and Mika Biereth ?

Our relationship is very good. Folarin and Mika both grew up in London, so we connected quickly. They are very good players and helped me integrate into this group. (On Balo’s contribution to this match) He has incredible qualities for playing on the break, he is very fast and is a good finisher, as we have seen in training. He is also powerful and makes excellent movements, like what he did tonight.

What’s it like defending Erling Haaland?

He’s one of the best strikers in the world; it’s always difficult to play against him, everyone knows that. He’s someone who doesn’t participate much in the game, but that’s what makes him stronger because sometimes you think he’s asleep, but that’s clearly not the case. He’s always ready to be dangerous; he’s incredibly effective.

I think we showed a good reaction against Manchester City, after a difficult last league match. We knew it was going to be a tough match, but we're really proud of the result. The coach told us that we had to stay united, not give up, and that we had the qualities to get a result today.

The reaction of Kassoum Ouattara

Good evening Kassoum. How do you feel after this draw tonight?

I think we showed a good reaction against Manchester City, after a difficult last league match. We knew it was going to be a tough match, but we’re really proud of the result. The coach told us that we had to stay united, not give up, and that we had the qualities to get a result today. The hardest thing was to stay focused because they’re a team that keeps the ball a lot, so we always have to stay alert and not get complacent.

When you see City hit the woodwork twice, what do you think at that moment?

Honestly, nothing at all. As long as the ball doesn’t go in the net, you keep going and you don’t give up! That’s what we did well tonight. I hope this result will be the start of something. These are the matches that bring a team together, so we’ll try to stick with that and continue in this direction with the same determination and the same spirit. We didn’t give up, even when it was tough physically and mentally. We gave it our all physically.

Au 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 😤

2️⃣-2️⃣ #ASMMCIpic.twitter.com/QLJKiLwgqV

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) October 1, 2025

What do you think of Ansu Fati?

Off the pitch, Ansu is very friendly, always smiling, and he’s quickly adapted to the squad! He’s a player with great technical ability and knows what he’s doing when he has the ball at his feet.

Now it’s time for the derby against Nice this Sunday.

It’s already on everyone’s minds, of course. We played a good match today, and now we have the derby this weekend against Nice, so we’ll focus on that straight away.