When AS Monaco launched its crazy epic against Tottenham
On September 14, 2016, the Red and Whites faced Tottenham, in London, on the first day of the group stage of the Champions League. The beginning of a crazy epic that will lead them to the gates of the final. A look back at this memorable evening.
It’s a time that even those under 20 can experience. And if they were in front of their TV or, even better, at the stadium that day, seemed sure they would remember it like it was yesterday. On September 14, 2016, six years ago to the day, AS Monaco began their crazy season in the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham. A success that will ideally launch the men of Leonardo Jardim in this European campaign.
Wembley is decked out in red and white
After successively eliminating Fenerbahçe on 3e preliminary round (1-2, 3-1) then Villarreal in the play-offs (2-1, 1-0), the Red and Whites find themselves in group E, very tough, with Bayer Leverkusen, CSKA Moscow and therefore Tottenham . The first match offers them a trip to the new but still legendary Wembley Stadium, where the Spurs play their European matches during the construction of their new stadium. And it’s an understatement to say that the Monegasques are not impressed.
🎼 #Chills #TOTASM pic.twitter.com/cys0nXReqa
– AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) September 14, 2016
The magic of Bernardo Silva, the “mine” of Thomas Lemar
Positioned in 4-2-3-1, they achieve a perfect first half hour. From the 15e minute, Bernardo Silva made the London defense dizzy, made Jan Vertonghen dance and concluded with a sublime shot from the left in the small net of Hugo Lloris. Sixteen minutes later, it was Thomas Lemar, who came into play following the early injury of Nabil Dirar, who struck in turn, with a “mine” under the bar.
The closing of the gap by Toby Alderweireld, just before the break, revived the suspense, but Monaco held on until the end and won a prestigious victory. This inaugural success put the Monegasques in orbit in this group stage, which they will finish in first place, thanks to a new success against Tottenham (2-1), this time at the Stade Louis-II, a victory and a draw against Aleksandr Golovin’s CSKA Moscow (3-0, 1-1), and a draw and a defeat against Bayer Leverkusen (1-1, 0-3).
An unforgettable season, punctuated by the 8th title
The rest, you probably know it by heart: a double confrontation of anthology in the round of 16 against Manchester City (3-5, 3-1), another of the same ilk in the quarters against Borussia Dortmund (3-2 , 3-1), then a cruel elimination in the semi-finals against Juventus Turin (0-2, 1-2).
But above all, memories of a new epic in the European Cup engraved forever in the hearts of Monegasque supporters, with the icing on the cake being the eighth French championship title in the history of the Club won on May 17, 2017. Unforgettable.
The match sheet:
Tottenham – AS Monaco: 1-2
Half time: 1-2
But : Alderweireld (45th); Bernardo Silva (15th), Lemar (31st)
Tottenham: Lloris © – Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, B. Davies – Dier, Alli – Son, Eriksen, Lamela – Kane
Replacements: Vorm, Trippier, Carter-Vickers, Dembélé, Sissoko, Wanyama, Janssen
Coach : Mauricio Pochettino
AS Monaco: Subasic – Raggi, Glik, Jemerson, Sidibé – Bakayoko, Fabinho – Bernardo Silva, Moutinho, Dirar – Falcao ©
Replacements: De Sanctis, Touré, Diallo, Traoré, Lemar, Jean, Germain
Coach : Leonard Jardim