Sébastien Pocognoli: "Paris knows what we are capable of delivering"

Ambitious as he prepares to face Paris Saint-Germain for the fourth time this season, the Monaco coach spoke two days before the big clash of the 25th round of Ligue 1 McDonald’s (8:45pm).

It’s a match with a sense of reunion. Opponents in the Champions League playoffs last week in the capital (2-2), AS Monaco and PSG will meet again at the Parc des Princes this Friday for a Ligue 1 rematch (kick-off 8:45 pm). It is therefore to discuss the desire to get the better of the reigning European champions that coach Sébastien Pocognoli spoke to the media pre-match.🎙️

An update on the squad

We have three players who are doubts, with Mika (Biereth) who was ill today, Zak’ (Denis Zakaria) who was in the gym as a precaution regarding his old injury as well asJordan (Teze) who was getting some rehab. We’ll see tomorrow, there are still question marks for the next match, but we hope they will be there. As for Lukáš (Hradecký), his return is going well; he had a good week of training, but it will still be a bit too soon for the match against PSG. We’ll see in two weeks, because there are specific skills, technical aspects, and movements required for the goalkeeper position that must be mastered perfectly. We’ll have to wait a little longer, but we’re close to his return, as with the other players returning from injury who trained this week and are on a positive trajectory.

On the good form of Folarin Balogun

Balo’ is having a good season this year; he’s also improved a lot in certain aspects of his game. He’s an important player in the tactical system and the principles we’re trying to implement, so he’s a real asset because he’s very professional and is ambitious every day! He still has 10 matches left to continue and finish this season on a high note, so we’re going to push him to the maximum so he can contribute even more to the team and continue his development. I think he’s been confident since I arrived, because he’s felt that his playing time has given him a certain amount of confidence, and he’s repaying it well.

I don't think this is the best time to play them, because they have the opportunity to increase their lead in the standings, especially since they know the opposition we've faced in our three previous encounters. And simply because it's Paris Saint-Germain, and they do everything to win every match.

He has put things in place that he needed to improve upon, and he’s working hard with Kevin (Mirallas) on certain aspects of his finishing, so it therefore becomes increasingly comprehensive, what is required of him. When we see the goal against Angers, he’s playing as a target man, but we also see him making runs in behind and holding onto the ball when needed. Perhaps all he needed was a run of goals, and so far things have been going well these last few weeks, so we hope he can continue this form and combine this success with his other qualities. In any case, he has consistently contributed a lot offensively this season, even sometimes filling in for the many absences by creating numerous chances himself.

It is still a little early to draw conclusions about his defensive performances. Against Nice, where we struggled to control the ball, he put in a lot of effort in that area, playing as a wing-back, even if the technical execution of defensive actions isn’t the same as for a defender. In any case, the desire to make the effort was there, so that’s positive! He knows how to do it because he’s done it in the past, even if against Angers he momentarily lost his marker during the defensive transition despite being well-positioned, so it was more a question of concentration than quality.

With continued playing, he’ll improve, although he can play in several positions, but whatever his role, he’s capable of doing it. These are things that take work, because a wing-back is expected to attack as much as defend. It’s very rare for a player to be trained for both, because no football academy trains players for a 3-5-2 formation. Take the example of Anan Khalaili last season at Union Saint-Gilloise, who arrived as an attacking player and for whom we had to spend five months training him in that position. And now, he’s certainly one of the best in Europe in his position, but that requires time and investment from the staff. The advantage with Simon is that he already knows this position, having played there in the past.

We'll see, because I think we've always had a coherent plan for the previous three matches, based on the strengths of our team and our opponents. Being able to switch between three-man and four-man systems and playing a hybrid is certainly a worthwhile investment in the short and medium term.

On the big match in Paris

I don’t think it’s the best time to play them, because they have the opportunity to extend their lead in the table, especially since they know the opposition we’ve faced in our three previous encounters. And simply because it’s Paris Saint-Germain, and they do everything to win every match. So I don’t think they’ll already be focused on the Chelsea game. We’ll see with the starting lineup, but every match is important for them, so I expect them to take it very seriously, and we’ll be ready for that.

What type of match to expect at the Parc des Princes

It’s not the same as a two-legged Champions League tie, but the context remains the same: an away match against PSG! A team whose qualities we know, they are one of the best in France and Europe. We’ll therefore need to be at our very best, and our performance will need to be the same as in previous matches, with great solidarity, a willingness to attack and defend together, and to try and refine what we could have done better against them.

On the tactical approach to the match

We’ll see, because I think we’ve always had a coherent plan in the three previous matches, based on the strengths of our team and our opponent. Being able to switch between three-man and four-man defenses and being hybrid is certainly a good investment in the short and medium term. We’ll need to be intelligent and effective in what we want to implement. Tactically, we can always try to surprise them with our attacking moves, which we’ve already done many times this year. But the foundation must be the same as in recent matches: trying to keep a clean sheet and being effective in both penalty areas. We expect PSG to dominate.

This squad is young, we need to maintain our discipline and not get complacent, because we haven't achieved anything yet and there are still 10 matches left, so we can still continue our good run. Yes, there are more smiles at training, more positive vibes, but to maintain this, we need to be aware of how lucky we are to be back and cherish it.

Maghnes Akliouche being rested

We managed his situation very well during the last match against Angers, not wanting to take any unnecessary risks with his injury. He’s played a lot this year, and we’re entering a period where players’ bodies are under a lot of strain, so I’m happy with how we were able to handle it, because when we can afford to, we do. All in all, he should logically be fit for Friday.

On Aleksandr Golovin

We know he was sidelined for two matches due to his suspensions, even though he traveled with us to Paris. He’s worked hard since then, and against Angers there were some good moments, including another assist, and others where he could have done better. But mentally, he was there, even if I felt that at times he was tempted to go into tackles and was a bit torn about whether or not to put in a tackle. Now we need to find the right balance, trying to be impactful and go into tackles, but in an intelligent and sporting way.

Is it easier to work with good results?

No, because I’m even more focused, because I have a group with whom I always have to be at my best to push them. That’s normal, it’s my role, but now I have to make sure we finish consistently in terms of teamwork, intensity, and impact. Because if we think it’s going to be easier because we’re winning matches, there can be an unconscious relaxation.

Like all matches, it inevitably impacts the dynamics if we finish with 10 men, because if memory serves, we only won against Paris Saint-Germain while being a man down.

This squad is young, we need to maintain discipline and not get complacent, because we haven’t achieved anything yet and there are still 10 matches left, so we can still continue our good run. Yes, there are more smiles at training, more positive vibes, but to maintain this, we need to be aware of how lucky we are to be back and nurture it. We need to demand more and be attentive to anything that could disrupt this positive energy. I’m committed to that!

On the team’s creative players

For these players, there’s a basic discipline they need to have, even though I try to create a structure with the ball that allows them freedom in the final third. Then, regarding Simon’s goal against Angers, a right-footed curler, I can’t teach him that; it’s pure talent. What I can advise, however, is how to get into those situations more regularly, or how Golo can set him up even better so he can open his foot up in a more advantageous position. The key is to have that structure in every line that creates those situations, whether it’s for Maghnes or others, like Ansu (Fati), Golo’ and Taki’ when he was there, and all the creative players in general. The goal is that, with this discipline, they can express themselves in the final third.

On playing with a man down

Like all matches, finishing with 10 men inevitably impacts the dynamics, because if I remember correctly, we only won against Paris Saint-Germain despite being down to ten men. In Rennes, the game was practically over at that point, but in the other matches where we finished with ten men, it always had an impact. In the last match, however, we didn’t get any yellow cards, so it’s all or nothing (smiles). But more seriously, we need to find a balance, and the key will certainly be finishing with eleven men against Paris and maintaining consistency throughout the end of the season.