They managed to overcome a two-goal deficit and even secure the win! Trailing 2-0 on the half-hour mark against a Liverpool side making their big return to Anfield, the Monegasques never gave up. Better yet, Filipe Luís' men claimed the victory, largely thanks to a high-quality second-half performance (2-3). Following the match, the Brazilian coach faced the media to try and analyze the storyline of this spectacular friendly encounter. Excerpts 🎙️
Good evening, coach. What is your assessment of this match?
It was a tough game against a world-class team filled with top-quality players who don't lose the ball and can easily bypass the opposition's press. But it was a very good test, because it is an experience that will serve us well this season. We are going to face teams of this stature, and we need to know how to suffer together. I think we can improve on that front, because football is sometimes very tactical, and when the opponent applies pressure and creates chances, we have to know how to defend in a low block.
Today was the perfect example, and coming out of this match, we know which areas we need to work on and improve. But I liked a lot of things in this game against a great team, I repeat. We managed to create some chances, have control of the ball, especially in the second half, and the opportunity to break the lines. So I am quite satisfied, because the team understood when to step out and press or, conversely, when to sit deeper. We had more control in possession, and that is what we must take away from this.
Why were Liverpool able to cause you so much trouble in the first half?
As I said, they have a lot of top-quality players, and they managed to find each other in the pockets on numerous occasions. The ball frequently found its way centrally, and these are things we need to improve on. We did okay in that regard during our last match against Getafe, but today they found each other too easily and forced us to retreat into a low block. Once again, they have players of great quality, not just on the ball, but off it as well. But in the end, I think the team learned to suffer together, and I feel that is a good lesson to take from this game, a good test.
What did you think of Matthis Abline’s first two performances?
First of all, I am very happy that he has joined AS Monaco, and I want to thank the Club for making the effort to secure his transfer! He is the kind of player who is quite rare on the market, quite honestly. He is very fast, constantly attacks the spaces, and will therefore give us a lot of opportunities, which will make our team very difficult to defend against. His partnership with Mika (Biereth) was good today, even though there are still areas where he needs to work and improve. But we have to be patient; he only arrived a week ago and doesn't have many training sessions under his belt with his new teammates. He is going to be important for us, and we are going to help him become the top player he can be.
You hadn't been to England in a long time. How did it feel to return here as a manager?
I played here for a season (at Chelsea, Ed.), and I had the opportunity to play many Champions League matches against English teams. It is obvious that the Premier League is the best league in the world, the atmosphere in the stadiums is incredible, so it's very nice to be back here. England is the elite of football today, so I am very happy to have had this opportunity.
What are your thoughts on Lamine Camara?
We are probably talking about one of the best midfielders in the world. I don't want to talk about him too much, because I know a lot of clubs would love to have him in their squad (smiles), and he is very important to me. He has that quality on the ball, covers a lot of ground, he is truly top-class! I am really happy to have him, and he is going to play a key role in the team. Keeping him? I am very hopeful he will stay. I think he is happy in Monaco. So if he stays, he can play a key role in my game plan.
Do you think playing at Anfield was a good opportunity for your young players?
Definitely. You know, it's a great stadium with a great atmosphere for them, and some of them have very little experience, so it was fantastic for them to be able to experience this. They need to see what the elite of football looks like, the quality of players at this level. Obviously, we suffered quite a bit at the start, but once they managed to get to grips with the context, we were better. These kinds of matches are essential for the growth of young players!
A word on Paris Brunner, who scored again today...
That is what I like, he is making my job difficult when it comes to deciding the starting XI, because whenever he comes on, he consistently scores in this pre-season! He is hungry, he always comes on with a lot of desire and energy, and he always wants to score. That is why he wants to be in the team, and that is the mindset I want. I am glad to have this selection headache when picking the lineup; it's the best thing that can happen to me, having good players pushing to start.
What did you make of Mika Biereth today?
Everyone looks at the forwards' numbers, and they need to score goals for their confidence. But for me, it goes beyond that. Mika gives everything he has for the team; he makes the runs to press, he always supports his teammates when they need it, he can hold up the ball, he can attack the space. So even if he doesn't score sometimes, I am really happy with his work. I am very pleased with the way he plays and sometimes unlocks defenses, which subsequently gives players like Paris (Brunner) and Oumar (Konaté) the opportunity to score and have the pitch open up more. So it's because Mika and Matthis (Abline) did a lot of that dirty work early in the first half that we were able to get back into the game afterwards. Oumar? He is also a player with a lot of desire and ambition; he is hungry for it, and I absolutely love working with players of that profile.
