A first in pro for four youngsters from the Porto Academy
During the two friendly matches organized against FC Porto reserve last Friday, then against the A team of the Portuguese champions on Saturday evening, four new “Rookies” from La Diagonale made their big pro debut.
They are the strength and DNA of AS Monaco! Ever more numerous to discover the professional world and to be the pride of the Principality’s club, the young talents from the Academy were once again in the spotlight this weekend in Porto. Facing the reserve of the 2022 Portuguese champion and then against the pros, four of them were able to take their first steps with the Red and Whites.
Baptism of fire for Ben Seghir… and almost a goal!
Last Friday, Eliesse Ben Seghir celebrated his first tenure with the pros against Porto B (2-0 success). Recent finalist in the national U19 championship against Nantes (3-2 defeat), the playmaker was planned for the occasion in support of Breel Embolo, the second Monegasque recruit of the summer. He even failed to score his first goal with the As, if the referee of the meeting had not whistled at the same time a penalty in favor of the Swiss international striker (45th).
🎙🗣 Eliesse played his first game with the professionals yesterday.
A new beautiful step for the player trained at the Academy 👏
🇲🇨 #MadeInLaDiagonale pic.twitter.com/YWDigBFg0F
– AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) July 23, 2022
Opening night for Coulibaly, Liénard and Diop
Replaced at half-time by his friend, Mamadou Coulibaly – who signed his first professional contract on May 5 -, also for his first with the “big boys”, Eliesse extended the pleasure the next day. He replaced Takumi Minamino in the 61st minute at the Estadio Do Dragão (2-1 defeat). Finally, the young Monegasque goalkeeper, Yann Liénard, semi-finalist of the Euro U19 with the Blueberries last June and Edan Diop, little brother of Sofiane and part of the U19s of Frédéric Barilaro last season, have also made their appearance against to the Portuguese reserve.
12 young Monegasques launched in one year
The tall goalkeeper (1.93m), who will have the opportunity to improve further this year in contact with the pros, replaced Thomas Didillon on the hour mark, while the Touraine midfielder took the place of Gelson Martins . A good experience for all these young people, in addition to those already launched in the deep end this season (Akliouche, Lemarechal, Magassa, Okou, Tiago Ribeiro), and since the start of the preparation (Bamba, Couto, Efekele), which confirms that AS Monaco trusts its formation.
It was the first time for some that they played at this level, and it is much higher than the N2 or the U19s last season. It’s a great experience for them, and it’s important that they experience these kinds of matches. I am happy to have been able to give them the opportunity to express themselves.
After the Porto match
In all, they are therefore 12 from the Academy to have taken their first steps in pro ‘for a year, and they were eight at the final whistle against Porto B, in the eleven of Philippe Clément. The Rocher club also appears again this year in the top 5 of the ranking of the best nurseries in France by the FFF. #MadeInLaDiagonale