C3 that I love you (really a lot) / C3 / Gr. H / Red star-Monaco / SOFOOT.com
Following their rout against PSV Eindhoven, AS Monaco are once again preparing to return to the Europa League against Red Star this Thursday. Eliminated in the round of 16 last season, the Monegasques would be wrong not to make this competition a goal this year. With a larger squad and an ideal hen to get into the action, the Red and Whites have everything they need to win the day at the end of May.
Released in 2014, edge of tomorrow – a film where Tom Cruise finds himself tirelessly stuck in a time loop – has not yet had a sequel. No release date has been announced and yet, unofficially, it has already been filming for long weeks. But with a few new things. To begin with, this second opus will never know the joys of dark rooms, but only that of the grounds. Then, to take over the role of the American actor, we find AS Monaco. An early elimination in the middle of August, a sluggish start to the championship, the current season of the club from the Principality looks very similar to that of last year. Nothing illogical for a club whose motto is “Rise, Risk, Repeat” (“Progress, Dare, Start Over”, in French). However, when it comes to finding the Europa League and the Red Star this Thursday, ASM has reason to believe that the story could be different this year. From there to get his first European trophy?
A past to combine with the present
Unlike last year when the draw had reserved a rather full-bodied group at the Rock club (PSV, Real Sociedad and Sturm Graz), the flock of Philippe Clément obtained a group a priori within their reach this season. A balance between formations that are not necessarily superior to them on paper, and atmospheres that should force Asemists to remain on their guard. So, with Red Star, Ferencváros and Trabzonspor, seeing ASM slip straight into the round of 16 in mid-November is nothing short of utopian. Then, nothing prevents Monegasques from dreaming.
We know our group for the ????? ?? ?????? of the’@EuropaLeague !?? @crvenazvezdafk ?? @Fradi_HU ?? @Trabzonspor Kick-off September 8. ?#UELdraw pic.twitter.com/g4h4f9oS8J
—AS Monaco?? (@AS_Monaco) August 26, 2022
Before knowing the identity of the Champions League clubs which will be reversed in C3, AS Rome, Arsenal and Manchester United act as favorites. Three historic clubs certainly, but in full reconstruction. Above all, these three teams have never managed to eliminate AS Monaco. In three confrontations against these leaders, ASM has always qualified. In 1992, Roma suffered the law of the Reds and Whites in the quarterfinals of C2 (1-0 on aggregate). In 1999, against United (0-0 in the Principality, 1-1 at Old Trafford in the C1 quarters) and in 2015 against the Gunners (3-1 at the Emirates, 0-2 at Louis-II, in the round of 16 of C1), the Rock players took advantage of the away goal rule to pass. In addition to this favorable history against the biggest cars on the grid, the main team also has another advantage: its workforce. A relatively stable group, since, apart from Aurélien Tchouaméni, no executive has left the Rock. Better, Paul Mitchell has done what is necessary to strengthen the squad of Philippe Clément.
Wissam, party captain
“When Wissam played every three days last season, he was less decisive. When he played once a week he kept scoring, he was really good. I can say one thing: he will play on Thursday evening. , recognized Clément in a press conference after Sunday’s match against Nice. Silent throughout the Europa League campaign in 2021-2022, the French international is still far from his standards with only one small pawn planted since the resumption in early August (during the return match against PSV). A delay in ignition that the person concerned will quickly have to fill, he who billed ten goals during the ten contested Ligue 1 days after elimination against Braga in 2022. To accompany the former Sevillian, the Belgian technician will also be able to count on Mohamed Camara, monstrous since his arrival on the Rock, Breel Embolo whose physique could hurt more than one defense on the European scene or even Takumi Minamino who should end up waking up.
Thanks to these alterations, Clément is at the head of the second most expensive squad in Ligue 1 (332 million euros spent to build it), on 21e at European level and the third of the committed in the Europa League. ASM is thus ahead of Roma and C1 clubs such as Inter, AC Milan or even the title holder of this C3, Frankfurt (52 million euros). To win the timpani last season, the Germans only needed one feat, against Barcelona in the quarterfinals. It’s a good thing, the Red and Whites are true specialists in hits on the European scene, as evidenced by their various epics in 1992, 2004 or 2017. So why not dream of a new journey, the first in C3 , in 2022? Especially since the Europa League offers a direct ticket to the next Champions League, a precious sesame after which the ASM has been running since 2018.
By Florian Porta