Lukáš Hradecký: "The squad is very receptive and everyone wants to learn"

The season officially gets underway with a trip to Poland. After a month and a half of pre-season preparations, AS Monaco face Górnik Zabrze this Thursday (8 PM) in the first leg of their Conference League play-off tie. Eager to return with a positive result, Lukáš Hradecký - who featured in the starting XI for all six pre-season fixtures - spoke at the pre-match press conference. Here are the main takeaways 🎙️

On the Conference League play-off first leg against Górnik Zabrze

There are always a few nerves before the first competitive game. We had some good performances during pre-season, and others where we could have done better. But we are coming up against a very good side. They made things very difficult for Fenerbahçe, and I think they deserved to go through against Ferencváros. I know they’ve started the season very well, and I believe they are still unbeaten in the league and at home. I also know that Lukas Podolski is one of their shareholders and that they have a Slovakian manager (smiles). They have good wingers who are very dangerous. So we can’t go there thinking we’re the better team, otherwise we’re going to be in for a very tough night!

His goals for the 2026-27 campaign

I want to have a better season and play more games than last year, but above all, I want to help the team. Overall, as a Club, I think we need to do better than in 2025-26, starting, hopefully, by qualifying for the league phase of the Conference League.

On Filipe Luís

We have a new manager and a new group of players, so it’s a bit of a fresh start. I know the coach played at the very highest level, so he brings that elite mentality. He passes on his knowledge, gives players individual advice, and is very hands-on in training. I have nothing but positive things to say about him! The squad is very receptive to it, everyone wants to learn, and that’s the most important thing. We have a very tough start to the season, so I hope we train well and that the team will be ready.

His relationship with the centre-backs

Sadibou Sané is new, and he needs to get used to our style of play. Eric Dier, on the other hand, is vastly experienced, which makes it easy to play alongside him because you know exactly what to expect. Of course, there is also Thilo Kehrer, and Mohammed Salisu, who is on his way back. We have strong personalities, and I think we look quite solid defensively. Obviously, we conceded a few goals during pre-season, but the real games start now. It’s up to the manager to decide who he wants to play, but I’m perfectly comfortable playing behind any of them.

On defensive work

Under him, it’s more about recognizing the right triggers - when to press, when to drop off - and adopting a more hybrid defensive style. That’s where the players' experience is needed to guide the team. To be honest, Coventry caused us some problems, but against Liverpool, we defended quite well, aside from the first half-hour. In any case, we conceded too many goals last season, so we absolutely have to do much better this year!

Teammates standing out in pre-season

A lot of players have a tremendous amount of talent, especially among the youngsters. Mathys Detourbet, for example, has great pace but still needs to develop certain aspects of his game. Pape Cabral has been really good in midfield. Young players will make mistakes, that’s part of the learning process, but with the experienced players we have, we know what we need to do. Denis Zakaria is a top-level player; he only needs 10 to 14 days of pre-season to be fully match-fit. I also think Mika Biereth is looking sharp, so I’m expecting good things from him too.

The importance of European competition

For the young players to get up to speed and take the next step, they need to play in these European fixtures. That’s why it is vital for the Club to reach the league phase of the Conference League. It’s also a new competition for me. It’s only the sixth edition of the Conference League, and it’s my first time having the opportunity to play in it. You come up against different types of opponents, so it will be a fantastic competition to be a part of, and we all want to go as far as possible!

On Paul Pogba's departure

It’s sad that his time here is coming to an end because he had a major impact on the young players in the dressing room, and that is exactly what you expect from a true professional. It’s a shame for him. I hope he recovers quickly and that he can continue playing football somewhere.