‘It is a good stage to present them’ – Adi Hütter backs his youthful Monaco squad to shine in Champions League | OneFootball

Luke Entwistle reporting from La Turbie

AS Monaco make their return to the UEFA Champions League after a six year absence. They will face an in-form Barcelona side, who have won all five of their La Liga games, scoring 17 goals in the process. Adi Hütter has, however, backed his young players on the biggest stage.

Many of Monaco’s players will make their Champions League bow on Thursday night, under the bright lights of the Stade Louis II – a stadium that has played host to some iconic Champions League moments. Their run to the final of the competition back in 2004 still lingers in the memory, as does the more recent run in 2016/17, with players such as Kylian Mbappé, Radamel Falcao, Bernardo Silva, and Fabinho leading what was a star-studded side.

The careers of Silva and Mbappé were still very much in their infancy at the time; the same goes for many of the Principality club’s current club. Without promising a similar trajectory, Hütter is backing them to shine on the biggest stage. “We can’t compare it; [2016/17] was an amazing campaign. We are now we are in a new format. It is a little bit different. Monaco were a really big surprise back in 2017,” began Hütter.

He added, “They had lots of young talents like Mbappé, and experienced players like Radamel Falcao, Bernardo Silva, Fabinho, to name but a few. But we have lots of young talents too like Eliesse Ben Seghir, Maghnes Akliouche, Lamine Camara; lots of young talents. No-one knows them really well in Europe. It is a good stage to present them.“

The best way to showcase them? Play the same way as they have in Ligue 1, with their attractive, attacking style of play. “We have [to keep our attacking style].It’s obvious that Barcelona are in top form. Going forward, we will have to do that which we know what to do,” said Monaco captain Denis Zakaria.

‘I want to see my team be brave against Barcelona’ – Monaco manager Hütter

And naturally, for the likes of Ben Seghir, Akliouche, Camara, all of whom are in line to start against Barça, there is no question of motivation. “I don’t have to motivate my players for the game. When they hear the anthem, they will be excited and happy to play the game. Nothing can be better. Facing one of the top teams in the world. I think my players are ready. I have prepared them mentally,” said Hütter.

“I want to see my team be brave against Barcelona,” added the Monaco manager. The fearlessness of youth will be on full display under the lights of the Stade Louis II, as Les Monégasques’ next generation look to forge their own reputations, just as some of their fabled predecessors did.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle