200th European match for AS Monaco against PSV
On the occasion of the third day of the Europa League against PSV Eindhoven this Thursday (9 p.m.), the Principality’s club will honor its 200th match on the European stage. Back to the rich history of AS Monaco on the Continent.
A 200-page book! Almost 60 years ago, AS Monaco began its great and beautiful love affair with the European cups. On Tuesday September 5, 1961, Michel Hidalgo’s teammates wore the colors of the Principality for the first time in a continental competition: the Champions Clubs Cup, ancestor of the Champions League.
𝗘𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝗲̀𝗺𝗲 ✈️⛅️
?? #UEL pic.twitter.com/hNLtHIaBP5
– AS Monaco (@AS_Monaco) 20 October 2021
The first fruits with Lucien Leduc
Led by the great Lucien Leduc, the Red and Whites only wear the Diagonale jersey for the second season, when they challenge the Glasgow Rangers in the preliminary round of the C1. The reigning Scottish champion, finalist in the Coupe des Coupes (C2) the previous season, inflicted his first European defeat on AS Monaco, which lost 3-2 in the first version of the Stade Louis-II. But whatever, Yvon Douis, scorer that day on penalty, and his partners, have just marked the first European steps of the Club.
After two decades of discovering the jousts of the Old Continent, the institution now headed by Jean-Louis Campora, wants to be more and more regularly qualified for Europe. Without much success in the early 80s. Until the appointment of Arsène Wenger on the Monegasque bench. Arrived from Nancy, the French technician made a luxury transfer window in 1987, which saw Glenn Hoddle, Mark Hateley or even Patrick Battiston land at the foot of the Rock.
The Campora-Wenger era, or the ambition to be among the greats
A recruitment which bears fruit very quickly, since AS Monaco is crowned champion of France in 1988, with the famous Afflelou jersey. The following season, the Red and Whites culminate in the first of the quarter-finals of both the most prestigious European Cups. Opposed to the Turks of Galatasaray, they will unfortunately not manage to reach the last square. The partners of promising young George Weah then set off to storm the Cup in 1989-1990. A success, since they qualify this time for a gala semi-final against Sampdoria Genoa.
Here again, the march is a little too high, even if AS Monaco records in passing the largest influx of its history in its den of Fontvieille (2-2, 20,000 spectators). But Arsène Wenger and his men do not abdicate and return to the front. Two years later, they came to an agreement in the final of the competition, the first for a French club in the European Cup since Saint-Étienne in 1976 (C1). But Klaus Allofs’ Werder Bremen, scorer at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon, allows the Germans to take the Trophy (2-0 defeat).
Italy, the black cat of AS Monaco
The 1993-1994 financial year, which will mark the end of the Wenger era, ends with a semi-final of the Champions League, just renamed in this way, against the great AC Milan of Franco Baresi, Marcel Desailly and a certain Marco. Simone. With a new defeat without appeal, nevertheless facing the future winner of the competition (3-0). It was then Jean Tigana who took up the torch of the conquest of Europe. AS Monaco is then a club finally installed and respected at European level. And it is not the semi-final of the UEFA Cup (C3) in 1997 which will tarnish this reputation.
While they deserve to offer themselves second on the Continent, Emmanuel Petit and his family must give in to a oriented arbitration and the experience of Inter Milan players of Youri Djorkaeff (3-1 defeat in the first leg, 1-0 success on the return). A great disappointment still to this day, as Sonny Anderson recently told us. Even if the Rouge et Banc will console themselves with the 6th title of champion of France the same year. AS Monaco, more determined than ever to make its mark on the European scene, is experiencing a new romance with the Champions League.
An epic 2004 forever in the memories
In 1998, the team led by rising star David Trezeguet in attack, achieved one of the greatest feats of its continental history at Old Trafford. In the quarter-final second leg of C1, the future world champion thus qualified the Red and White for the last four, thanks to a sublime strike under the crossbar of the Red Devils (1-1). Thanks to the rule of the goal on the outside, which has now disappeared. A bit of success that will however flee the Monegasques against Juventus Turin, at the gates of the final (defeats 4-1 and 3-2).
It will then be necessary to wait for the 2003-2004 vintage and the greatest European epic in the history of the Club, for a new shiver to the end to the sound of the input music of the players. That year, Didier Deschamps made the most of a group whose most emblematic captain, Ludovic Giuly, would score one of the most beautiful goals of the main team, against the great Real Madrid of the “Galacticos”. A 3-1 victory in the quarter-final second leg at the Stade Louis-II after losing 4-2 at the Bernabeu.
New life with the arrival of President Dmitry Rybolovlev
The final thus extends its arms to the band of Fernando Morientes, after a controlled semi-final against Chelsea (3-1 success in the first leg, 2-2 in the return). Unfortunately, it does not go as planned, with the injury of number 8 before half an hour of play, which will precede a final setback against the proteges of another young coach, José Mourinho (3-0). Ride, risk, repeat. This is already the motto of AS Monaco, which after a short interlude in Ligue 2, found the elite thanks to the arrival of President Dmitry Rybolovlev in December 2011.
Then Europe! Four years later, the “Munegu babies” of Leonardo Jardim offer themselves a quarter-final of the Champions League against Juve, after having dismissed Arsenal in the previous round. With an epic victory on the way to the Emirates Stadium (3-1), with Almamy Touré, neo-pro trained at the titular Academy, as well as Layvin Kurzawa and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco, also shaped in the center training, on the scoresheet. A youth who will not be able to thwart the cunning of Giorgio Chiellini during the double confrontation in the quarter.
Memories of the Dream Team 2017
No more than Radamel Falcao’s teammates two years later, yet heroic in the round of 16 against Manchester City of Pep Guardiola (5-3 defeat in the first leg, 3-1 success in the return) and then against Borussia Dortmund. Third European confrontation in a knockout match against Turin in eleven years, and third disillusionment on arrival (2-0, 2-1). A defeat yes, but it is always the pride to have hoisted the club of the Principality for the seventh time in the semifinals of a European competition, the fourth time in C1, which dominates.
No French club has done better to this day. A pride therefore, especially as AS Monaco celebrates the same year its 8th title of champion of France, carried by a golden generation which will see the emergence at the highest level of Mbappé, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva, Lemar, Mendy or again Bakayoko. Against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday, the Red and Whites will kick off the Club’s 200th European match (79 wins, 303 goals scored, two finals, seven semi-finals).
With the aim of honoring Monaco’s rich history in the European Cup. DAGHE MUNEGU !! ??
Relive the great hours of AS Monaco’s history and check out the Rouge et Blanc winners here.