AS Monaco head coach Sébastien Pocognoli and defender Thilo Kehrer addressed the media on Tuesday ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League fixture against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, emphasizing belief in their playing identity and the need for collective discipline.
Speaking in his pre-game press conference, Pocognoli made it clear that Monaco’s focus is primarily internal rather than reactive to Madrid’s stature or form.
“I’m mainly concerned with fixing our own problems,” Pocognoli said. “We’ll
have to play a great game to have a chance; Madrid is always a great team and they’re going to make things difficult for us. To make them doubt themselves, we’ll have to do everything right. We’re not thinking about whether it’s a good time or a bad time.”
Despite playing away against the reigning European giants, the Monaco coach insisted his side will not abandon its principles.
“Madrid is playing at home and will want to dominate,” he said. “But that won’t change our playing philosophy. Even though the results haven’t gone our way, I’ve never said we’re going to just defend; I’m going to stick to Monaco’s philosophy. We need to be very solid off the ball, but we’re not going to abandon our style.”
Pocognoli also explained the decision to train in Madrid ahead of the match, citing preparation and familiarity with the environment.
“It’s better to train here if possible, to adapt better, to get a feel for the place,” he said. “Every coach is different and I like to do it if possible.”
Defender Thilo Kehrer echoed his coach’s confidence while acknowledging the challenge posed by Real Madrid — particularly Kylian Mbappé.
“Mbappé progresses every year,” Kehrer said. “He is a more mature player, playing at Madrid has also changed him, perhaps in terms of pressure. He is a world-class player.”
Kehrer also addressed Monaco’s inconsistency this season, pointing to performances against top opposition as proof of the squad’s ceiling.
“We’ve already talked about the inconsistency, but we’ve held our own against great rivals, which shows that the potential and quality are there,” he said. “We have to be united tomorrow, work together, and if we do that, we have the quality to compete against any team.”
On how to limit Madrid’s attacking threat, Kehrer stressed collective defensive awareness rather than individual solutions.
“We have to reduce the space, both for Kylian and his teammates,” he said. “We’ll have to be very attentive and focused.”
Monaco face Real Madrid tomorrow night in the Champions League group stage, with a result at the Bernabéu seen as a significant test of Pocognoli’s project and the team’s resilience.
