Philippe Clément (Monaco): “Impossible to replace Tchouaméni with a player of the same level”
The recovery puzzle
“We will have to start preparation early, from June 18, if we want to be ready directly. In addition, there is the possibility that we play against teams that have already started their championship, you have to be ready for that. And then there is the World Cup at the end of the year which changes everything. Normally, there were two weeks of international matches (from August 30 to September 8, the last season, for example) which gave us a little rest, but that will not be the case. It will directly be the Champions League or the Europa League. It will therefore be necessary to prepare the players really well mentally and physically. »
The departure of Aurélien Tchouaméni
“You have to be honest, the European top 3 clubs are feared by him. For this reason, it will be impossible to replace him with a player of the same level because the big clubs will already be in the ranks. We have to find a collective solution with the recruitment of a new player, but also players in our squad like Eliot Matazo who can grow in the weeks or months to come. And it will also be necessary to consider having more quality in other positions. »
The disappointment of not being qualified directly in C1
“There is a big new challenge now and we must not look back. It doesn’t help. Players must be combative and be winners. We have to look ahead. This is what the players have learned in recent months: to be more positive and to dispel doubt in their heads. This is what will have to be done during the next preparation and in August. »