Lukáš Hrádecký: "Just like against Lyon, this is a six-pointer."

He has made a successful return to the pitch. Back in the starting lineup for Monaco against Brest (2–0), Lukáš Hrádecký followed up with another start in the victory at Lyon just before the international break (1–2), making a significant impact with two key saves. Determined to maintain his momentum against Olympique de Marseille—in a pivotal clash for the race for the Champions League on Sunday (8:45 PM)—the Finnish goalkeeper appeared at a press conference. 🎙️

On the international break

The matches in New Zealand? They were magnificent and thoroughly enjoyable—I had an extraordinary experience! I have just over 100 caps, and I believe I’ve already played against Hungary five times and Bosnia perhaps ten times, so it was nice to experience something different (smiles). As for the travel? To be honest, I’ve recovered pretty well. It’s a good thing the match is on Sunday, but yes—I’ll be ready!

The Key to Winning Big matches

I’ve been fortunate enough to gain experience in big matches throughout my career. At the moment, we are doing very well, so we just need to keep doing the simple things right. We came close to winning in Marseille back in December—and I think that was one of our best away performances—but unfortunately, Mason Greenwood, who will be absent on Sunday, scored in the very last minute. We are ready to keep our good run going. Winning big matches—that’s exactly why we want to play football—and I hope the outcome will be a positive one for us on Sunday.

The Points Gap to Olympique de Marseille

We’ve staged quite a comeback. Back in December, when we lost to them, some within the team might have thought it would be difficult to catch up, but that could become a reality this Sunday. That is a huge motivation for us! All the teams sitting between 3rd and 6th or 7th place are very tightly bunched. The job isn't finished yet, but we are proud of this resurgence, and we want to see it through so we can play in Europe next season. Just like against Lyon, this is a six-pointer.

The Pressure on Both Teams

I think we are the ones in the "hunters'" position right now, so I hope they are feeling a bit more pressure than we are. The international break might not have come at the best time for us, as we were on an excellent run of form, but the main priority was getting everyone back fit and healthy. We haven't suffered any injuries, so we are ready for Sunday. We were on a streak of six consecutive wins—now we're going to fight for a seventh!

Lamine Camara’s Role on the Pitch and in the Dressing Room

I don't think he receives the recognition he deserves. Ever since winning the Africa Cup of Nations, I believe he has been one of our best players. So yes, Denis Zakaria has occasionally played a bit deeper in central defense, but the midfield is performing very well, and Lamine Camara is one of our key players in our current resurgence. I hope he stays fit. It is a pleasure to see him on the pitch and in the dressing room. He has character and is a great player for us.

The Unbeaten Streak

For starters, winning five or six matches in a row requires doing things right from the very beginning. As I told the coach when I returned from injury: compared to before, you can really feel a difference in the team. Our chemistry and the rapport between the players have improved considerably. We haven't finished developing yet—staying unbeaten all the way to the end will be tough—but if we keep up this momentum, we can certainly hope to come close.

The Squad's Physical Condition

We are fortunate to have recovered quite a few injured players. I believe the squad has never been this complete all season—that is a key factor. Furthermore, we are no longer competing in Europe, so we are playing only once a weekend. The competition in training is more intense, with everyone fighting for their spot. I must actually mention that Philipp Köhn played really well during my absence! We are well-covered in every position, and that is one of the most important elements in establishing a winning culture: having strong competition in training. That is exactly what I am seeing right now.

His thoughts on the current season

This isn't the season I had envisioned for myself, with two unlucky injuries—nothing muscular, just knocks. Now, I hope to stay fit and help the team even more next season, and the one after that. I have a contract, and I want to stay here; that is my goal!