Several Monaco players spoke in the mixed zone after their win over Galatasaray in the sixth round of the Champions League and were pleased with the mentality they showed.
They play like men. Monaco players, who had a poor performance in the first half, performed well in the second half and created multiple scoring opportunities against Galatasaray (1-0). Their rule was eventually exploited by Folarin Balogun. The valuable victory gave us a glimpse into the Champions League playoffs, with Magnis Akliusz, Takumi Minamino and Thilo Kehrer speaking in the mixed zone. 🎙️
Good evening, Magnis. A very important win tonight against Galatasaray…
Yeah, it’s important for our morale and also from a points perspective to qualify for the playoffs. We know this is a crucial game for us in Europe, so getting the three points is vital. It was a game where we worked well together, just like we did against PSG. We need to build this performance to repeat them regularly.
A clean sheet in the first half helped us score in the second half. We suffered a lot in the first 45 minutes, but the collective reaction after that was very important and that’s why we won.
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Magnis Akliusz first half
You have many opportunities to impose yourself more decisively…
It’s true that we created a lot of chances and from an attacking point of view, that was the goal. We can still improve in this area to secure victory faster, which will allow us to rest at the end of the game.
Let’s briefly introduce shooter Folarin Balogun.
He missed some opportunities, but we saw his strength of character. He never gives up and always wants to be a threat. He had a third chance and he gave it up and we congratulated him in the dressing room.
Isn’t conceding the ball in the first half a foundation?
Absolutely. A clean sheet in the first half helped us win in the second half. We struggled in the first 45 minutes but the collective reaction afterwards was crucial and that’s why we won. (On his performance) I felt good and I was able to find my teammates. I created a few shooting opportunities and that was my goal. I can only go on like this.
With this win, you take another step toward the playoffs.
We did take a step forward. Those three points were a real boost and brought us closer to qualifying. Now we have two games left to pick up points and maybe even wins against Real Madrid and Juventus. They will be two exciting games against very good teams. We’ll try to approach them in the best way possible, but we’re excited to play them and hopefully put in some good performances.
Minamino Takumi’s reaction
Good evening, Takumi. After a difficult first 45 minutes, you played well in the second half.
It’s true that we had some tough moments in the first half. At halftime, we decided to change our offensive pressing style. That’s why we created so many chances and scored from set pieces. It was a great win against Galatasaray.
It is true that we will face two very strong opponents, but before thinking about Real Madrid and Juventus, we first need to focus on the next Ligue 1 game in Marseille. This is also a very important game and I hope we can treat the away game like we did today.
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Takumi Minamino talks about upcoming games
Tell us about the character of Folarin Balogun, the only scorer on the night.
As a striker, it’s normal to miss opportunities. He believed in himself and it paid off as he scored the decisive goal to give us the three points. That’s the most important thing and I hope he continues to do that. (On his potentially decisive pass) I myself missed opportunities and made mistakes today. We’re a team; it’s no big deal.
It’s important to get three points before two important games…
It is true that we will face two very strong opponents, but before thinking about Real Madrid and Juventus, we first need to focus on the next Ligue 1 game in Marseille. This is also a very important game and I hope we can treat the away game like we did today.
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How do you explain the two different sides we’ve shown this season?
We always strive to get better and keep the same motivation in every game but unfortunately we dropped points against the teams at the bottom of the table. We need to improve in this area. I can understand that some people might feel like we’re cherry-picking games, but we always try to give 100% and that’s the same for me personally.
Thilo Kehrer’s reaction
Good evening, Thilo. Have you ever doubted that you can’t make a difference?
You’re bound to feel frustrated when you miss out, and that frustration is inevitably heightened for those who miss out. But we told ourselves that we have to continue to believe in ourselves during the short break to treat the Turkish goalkeeper. So we continued to give it our all, created more chances and it paid off.
We need to stay humble. Most recently we beat PSG, then lost to Brest and then won another great game against a strong Galatasaray side. We just want to keep the momentum going. We need to be consistent, show our quality on the pitch and give our best to achieve a top performance.
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Thilo Kehrer on the necessary mindset
Can you understand the frustration people feel when they see what you are capable of?
We have lacked consistency in recent weeks. There are some things that could explain this, but we’re not here to make excuses. We hope to do better and get back in the table. We need to use tonight’s win and the way we won to keep the positive aspects we showed against PSG and replicate them in every game.
What kind of mentality should you have now?
We need to stay humble. Most recently we beat PSG, then lost to Brest and then won another great game against a strong Galatasaray team. We just want to keep the momentum going. We need to be consistent, show our quality on the pitch and try our best to achieve the best possible performance. We understand there may be some dissatisfaction; this is normal in football. We know that but we remain focused on the pitch. That’s what we did tonight and we have to keep doing that.
Do you feel like you’re on your feet again in the 4-2-3-1 formation?
I would rather talk about the intensity that has made us great over the past two seasons; we need to be able to rediscover that foundation. It’s not about three, four or five defenders, it’s about how we execute it and the way we do it, with energy and belief.
Through his playing style, Dennis brings a presence and composure that helps fine-tune our game. He is also very strong in duels, winning many battles while maintaining excellent tactical positioning. His role is indeed important.