Monaco’s fun-loving style has taken them to the Champions League | Luke Entwistle
Adi Hütter has struck a perfect balance at Monaco, guiding them to a second-placed finish in Ligue 1
By Luke Entwistle for Get French Football News
When Monaco appointed Philippe Clement to replace Niko Kovac in January 2022, they shifted from one extreme to another. The soft management approach taken by Clement came as a stark contrast to the military style regime that had been imposed by Kovac. Ultimately, neither approach worked so the club turned to Adi Hütter last summer. The Austrian’s style – not too harsh, not too soft – has proven right for this talented and youthful side, which he has now led back to the Champions League.
“Monaco belong in the Champions League,” said sporting director Thiago Scuro, but the club has not competed in the group stage of the competition since 2018. Third place has proven a false dawn for Ligue 1 sides in recent seasons – Monaco failed to win two successive Champions League playoffs and then Marseille befell the same fate at the start of this campaign, dropping into the Europa League.