Sébastien Pocognoli hopes ‘electroshock’ meeting can instigate ‘very quick reaction’ for struggling Monaco | OneFootball

“We had the possibility to play the game that we wanted [against Real Madrid]; we created chances and conceded two transitions,” said Sébastien Pocognoli on Friday, following AS Monaco’s historic 6-1 defeat against Real Madrid on Tuesday. The Belgian, like Los Blancos, was on the counter-attack during Friday’s press conference, attended by Get French Football News, defending his unerring optimism, which he hopes will manifest itself in a revival of sorts at the Principality club.

Following Tuesday’s defeat, there was a meeting in Madrid, a reaction to the 6-1 defeat, the club’s heaviest-ever defeat in a European game, but also a more global context in which Monaco have lost touch with the European places in Ligue 1, following seven defeats in the last eight league games.

Monaco players have seperate post-Real Madrid meeting

“I’m not going to reveal behind the scenes, internally. What I can say is that it was a meeting to move in the right direction, with all of the sporting departments, and to be aware of the situation, even if we already knew it. It was only positive,” said the Monaco manager.

Folarin Balogun revealed that there was also another meeting, just between players. “We thought that it was important to have one as players, to be open, to try and find solutions. It was positive,” said the USMNT international.

“The meeting could be a bit of an electroshock, of course, to have more rigour, more of a collective spirit. I think that was the basis of the meeting,” he added. An “electroshock” is what is needed, in any case, given the situation. Pocognoli knows that, stating that they need a “very quick reaction”. 

The Principality club face Le Havre AC on Saturday, ahead of a decisive UEFA Champions League encounter against Juventus on Wednesday. But for Pocognoli, there is no question of his players “choosing their matches”. 

‘I have been in dressing rooms that have cracked. I am not seeing that’ – Pocognoli

“I don’t think there is any laxism in the way that we approach matches,” insisted the Belgian, who also defended his own approach, not only insisting that his “audacious” gameplan against Real Madrid was the right one, but also defending his own communication style. 

“You have to know how to take a defeat [like this], how to take it in a positive way […] at some point, the results will come. I hope they will come with me… if we believe together, we will do it,” said Pocognoli. 

“It was badly received, I was told,” he said. “My whole life and my whole football career have been based on hope, hard work and staying positive.” And he will continue to be positive, so long as he feels the support of his dressing room.

“In training, you can’t tell that it is a team that is stringing together defeats. That is an important sign. I have been in dressing rooms that have cracked; I am not seeing that [here], but for sure, if the run remains negative for too long, it will become difficult,” added the Monaco manager. It will be a decisive week for Pocognoli, who goes in search of positive results in order to release the pressure.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Monaco