Thilo Kehrer: "We need to be attentive and focused for 90 minutes." | OneFootball

On the eve of their European clash against Real Madrid (Tuesday, 9 pm), as part of the 7th matchday of the Champions League, the Monaco central defender spoke at a press conference.

It’s a chance to rise to the occasion. As they prepare to face Real Madrid this Tuesday (21:00) at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the AS Monaco players know that they will have to be at their best and deliver a nearly perfect performance to come away from this match with a positive result. It is certainly with this mindset that they approached the game, and it’s what Thilo Kehrer spoke about in a pre-match press conference ahead of the match. 🎙️

The mindset ahead of this clash against Real Madrid

The team’s morale is quite good; we’re working hard in training to prepare for every match in the same way. We’re always very motivated, and there’s a great deal of focus and competitiveness within the group. For tomorrow, we know we need to concentrate on the areas we can control, namely our performance and the intensity we bring to the pitch. If we manage to put all of that together, we can have a great game and try to get a good result at the Santiago Bernabéu.

This instability in performance between Ligue 1 and the Champions League is difficult to explain. Being able to raise the bar and to this level in big matches and against strong opponents has shown that the potential and quality are present in the team. Tomorrow, we'll need to put in the necessary effort on the pitch, have the right mentality, be competitive, and play together as a united team.

The team’s level in the Champions League this season

This instability in performance between Ligue 1 and the Champions League is difficult to explain. Being able to raise the bar and to this level in big matches and against strong opponents has shown that the potential and quality are present in the team. Tomorrow, we’ll need to put in the necessary effort on the pitch, have the right mentality, be competitive, and play together as a united team.

On Ansu Fati

He’s a good-natured guy who gets along well with all his teammates. He likes to bring positive energy and a good atmosphere. In training, he’s competitive and wants to win. He has excellent finishing skills, which he demonstrates in every attacking play, and that’s something that can help us as a team.

On Eric Dier

Eric had a good preseason and a good start to the season before his injury. He was then out for three months and has only just returned. With such a long absence, there’s normally a protocol for gradually easing him back into playing. Unfortunately, given our situation, he was forced to play right away. I’m not worried about him; we’ll help him get back into top form, but he’s also an experienced player who has proven his abilities in the past. He shows it every day in training, so there’s no cause for concern.

He's a world-class striker. It will be crucial to limit the space he has to work with. Therefore, we'll need to defend as a team because he, like his attacking teammates, is very difficult to contain individually. We'll have to be attentive and focused for 90 minutes.

Kylian is improving his game year after year, and he’s maturing as a player. I think playing for Real Madrid has added more pressure, but his qualities are formidable. He’s a world-class striker. It will be crucial to limit the space he has to work with. Therefore, we’ll need to defend as a team because he, like his attacking teammates, is very difficult to contain individually. We’ll have to be attentive and focused for 90 minutes.