Lukáš Hradecký: "Everyone must do more to turn the situation around"

He was decisive on his line on Wednesday but couldn’t avoid a draw in Pafos in the Champions League. Having returned to competition with Finland in the international break, Lukáš Hradecký has been back in goal for AS Monaco in the weeks since.It was on the eve of facing Paris Saint-Germain in the big clash of the 14th matchday of Ligue 1 McDonald’s (5pm), that he spoke at a press conference. 🎙️

On his return to competition

To be honest, this is the longest injury I’ve had in my career, so I’d almost forgotten how much I love indoor cycling. More seriously, I’m happy to be back and I hope I can help the team more than I have in the last two games, because conceding six goals is not satisfactory.

On how to bounce back from this difficult period

I love challenges, and I see them in every situation! If I weren’t motivated by the circumstances, I wouldn’t have come here to AS Monaco. I try to give my best for the team, whether it’s myself or Philipp (Köhn) Besides, who did a great job while I was away. Today we need to bring more security and consistency to this team and to our defense. That’s what we can do best right now. We defend as a team of eleven and attack as a team of eleven, and we just have to do our job, regardless of who’s on the pitch!

Kovář 😲
Neuer 🚫
Anarbekov 👏
Tzolakis 🧤
Hrádecký 🤯

Your favourite save?! 🤔@QatarAirways || #LetsFly pic.twitter.com/AVxcsxMk9Q

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 26, 2025

The draw in Pafos

The reactions behind the scenes were positive after this frustrating result, as everyone was genuinely disappointed and concerned. I have a long career behind me, during which there have been many good times but also many bad. And from experience, it’s during difficult periods that everyone has to do a little extra to turn things around! Every detail counts, and it was the case in Pafos, the fact that the ball hit the crossbar, bounced, and went into the goal is something we absolutely must try to avoid. Obviously, we were unlucky this time, but that’s no excuse, and we have to try to create an atmosphere of discipline in training and on the pitch, which is essential in these situations.

On the dressing room mood

Everyone was immediately very disappointed in the dressing room after the match, and we had some constructive discussions. I also heard what Mohammed Salisu said, and even though he expressed it clumsily, I see some positives in it. His words weren’t necessarily appropriate, but his reaction clearly shows that he wanted to win! We don’t want to experience that feeling of losing and getting a bad result. Things are moving in the right direction in my opinion, even though we don’t have much time, and the sooner we react, the better.

Regarding the lack of consistency

We know we need to regain some stability. We’re currently going through a difficult period with a coaching change and a very busy schedule. It’s a test for all of us! We just need to try and turn things around and start winning again as soon as possible. I can’t make any promises that it will happen against Paris Saint-Germain, Brest, or any other match, but we need to make sure it happens as quickly as possible.

On the Ligue 1 table

Our place in the table having so many matches left to play doesn’t mean much in my opinion. We just need to focus on wanting to win again, because thinking long-term won’t help us. We need to be focused on the next training session, the next match. Taking things one step at a time is the only way to recover from this period; I know that from experience.

On Paris Saint-Germain

I wouldn’t say we have nothing to lose against PSG, but rather everything to gain! That’s the best way to approach these kinds of difficult matches. This team was simply incredible last season, and they’re continuing in the same vein. But if you remember correctly, it took Luis Enrique time to build this very good team. They only have one defeat in the Champions League and one in the league, and just three draws in Ligue 1. On our side, some long-term injured players are returning, so it takes time to adapt to the coach’s style of play. It’s a tough situation, but I can guarantee you that everyone is fighting to improve it!

On leadership

I heard a journalist say we needed leaders, but we have them, and everyone is taking responsibility. Now we need to create a kind of unity on the pitch and regain some stability. We had a lot of injuries until now, but today we have several players returning, including Denis Zakaria and myself. We have a very strong group with experience and character, but now we need to find the right balance and show humility to win again and not underestimate certain details during the match.

Lack of presence in duels

The numbers don’t lie; we’re talking about the basics of football and what we need to show. It’s also the responsibility of the leaders to set an example in this regard, even though everyone must be their own leader. We need to have that mentality of winning duels, of being there for the second balls. We lacked that at times against Pafos, especially on set pieces. When we train, everyone wants to win! I’ve played for different teams in Germany, and everyone needs to be at the same level.

💪🏋️ pic.twitter.com/gNjIxIjZLA

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) November 24, 2025

The Way to Bounce Back

For the past two seasons, the Club hasn’t really experienced such a difficult period. It’s new for some players, so we also need to adapt and face it head-on. I wish I could snap my fingers and things would change against Paris, but it doesn’t work that way. I see the commitment in training; we just need to try and replicate it in matches, because we’re not consistent enough at the moment!

On Management Style

I’ve been able to observe how my various coaches approach managing a team. Things have changed a lot in the last 10-15 years, because players today have access to resources we didn’t have before. It’s therefore important to mold and support young players, because here, as in Germany and everywhere else, they sometimes get everything too quickly. We need to ensure they have the tools to help the team regain its success.

In any case, I can see some similarities between Sébastien Pocognoli and Xabi Alonso in their management style, as they are both young coaches from my generation who gained initial experience with Union Saint-Gilloise and Leverkusen. They are both willing to adapt to circumstances and learn. The ideas, standards, and fundamentals they try to impart daily suggest they have promising coaching careers ahead of them.