Niko Kovac (Monaco coach): “The players must learn”
“Your team is barely in the matches following the European matches. What must be changed to change this?
It’s special for all the teams that make up European matches. Often this means that you played one more game in the week than your opponent. It’s part of the learning process. The players must learn this rhythm, know how to recover quickly, be at the level in terms of concentration. If we want to be successful, we have to win every game. I have to push the players so that they are never satisfied. A lot of players are discovering this rhythm and they have to learn.
“We don’t have the same level of confidence as last season”
In the Europa League, you have been a blocking team over the last two meetings, while you have more of the ball in the league. Is it difficult for your team to change the style of play?
No, because we know how to comment on where we are and what to do. In Ligue 1, on a more possession, on must more force things. When you play in Europe, it’s different. Even though Graz is a big underdog, Real Sociedad and PSV Eindhoven are very well organized teams who handle the ball very well. We don’t have the same level of confidence as last season. And it’s also because, both times, we didn’t start the game very well and we played away, so we played more in transition. But we had prepared for it. This is why Myron (Boadu) a start in Eindhoven: because he plays more in depth and is faster than Wissam (Ben Yedder).
What about the injured?
Djibril (Sidibé), Krepin (Diatta) and Golovine resumed yesterday with the group. We’ll decide after today’s training. It is only Cesc (Fabregas) who is injured. It’s muscular. We don’t know when he’ll be back. Everything else is available.
What is your prognosis for the Sunday night classic OM-PSG?
I will of course watch the game. They are two great teams. A score? 1-1. A draw would be perfect. “