Sébastien Pocognoli: "It's essential to have the attitude and the desire to win in Pafos" | OneFootball

On the eve of an important Champions League match against Pafos FC (Wednesday, 6:45pm), the Monaco coach held a press conference to discuss the stakes of the match.

Build in the win in Norway. Winners in Bodø/Glimt before the international break (0-1), AS Monaco’s players have completely reignited their hopes of a top-24 finish. It’s an objective they would like to remember. The challenge will be even greater against Pafos this Wednesday (6:45 PM), on the occasion of Matchday 5 of the Champions League. That, at least, is the mindset with which the coach approached the match as Sébastien Pocognoli spoke in a pre-match press conference. 🎙️

On the loss to Rennes

We started with an in-depth analysis of the match, focusing on what the team lacked but also on what was positive. Then it’s important to continue working and to value what’s been done well, even if after a 4-1 defeat things might seem quite negative. But we need to make the players realize that there’s room for improvement, with varying demands placed on each individual. The goal is to find the best formula for everyone to create a positive dynamic within the group. And the only way to achieve that is to win matches!

The importance of winning in the Champions League

After a difficult start, we can finally string together a series of good results in this Champions League, something we haven’t been able to do in Ligue 1 so far. This match is a good opportunity to move towards one of our objectives, which is to get through the group stage and reach the playoffs. A good result tomorrow will allow us to look ahead with a lot of hope; at least, that’s the goal.

Pafos is an experienced team with the highest average age in the competition, capable of controlling the ball well, but also of playing a direct style. They are strong on set pieces and in transition.

On Pafos’s defensive solidity

Since I arrived, I’ve been trying to instill this idea of ​​dominant football, even if the results haven’t reflected it yet. It will be the same approach tomorrow against a good reigning champion team making its Champions League debut, and they’re certainly very excited to be playing against us. It’s up to us to impose our game and create as many chances as possible, always with the same ideas for this match. Pafos is an experienced team with the highest average age in the competition, capable of controlling the ball well, but also of playing a direct style. They are strong on set pieces and in transition. They’re a good team with a well-defined system and some talented individuals, so we’ll need to be at our best tomorrow!

On Paul Pogba

He’s doing well, he’s training without any problems, and we’re continuing with what was planned. He made his return against Rennes, so the idea is to proceed step by step, to assess his physical level and see what he can bring to the team. If the training continues like this in the coming weeks, we will certainly have the opportunity to see him on the field for longer periods.

This is a crucial moment in the first half of our season, as we've just come off three matches with results that haven't reflected our ambitions. We need to bounce back tomorrow; it's essential that we have the right attitude and the desire to go for the three points!

Sébastien PocognoliOn the importance of tomorrow's match

On Maghnes Akliouche

I think his having started for France stems from his good performances in October. Upon my arrival, he put in some interesting performances, showing discipline in his game and also staying closer to the penalty area to improve his statistics. Even against Bodø in a difficult match, he was the one who provided the decisive pass, so he’s taking that next step and becoming a key player in important moments. The next step now, after starting a match for Les Bleus, is to build on that by continuing what he did well in October and not overthinking things. It’s important that he understands what’s happening at Monaco and learns from it without getting ahead of himself, but still with ambition.

This is a crucial moment in the first half of our season, as we’ve just come off three matches with results that haven’t reflected our ambitions. We need to bounce back tomorrow; it’s essential that we have the right attitude and the desire to go for the three points! I’m always a positive person, and if we have a good match and win tomorrow, we can certainly use that to reignite a positive momentum, which was the case in my first few matches after arriving.