Folarin Balogun on adapting to life at Monaco & his USMNT Olympics & Champions League ‘dreams’ | OneFootball

Fresh off his confidence-boosting brace against FC Metz on Saturday, AS Monaco’s Folarin Balogun (22) has reflected on his first season with Les Monégasques, as well as his dreams to feature in the UEFA Champions League and this summer’s Olympics Games in Paris.

During Monaco’s Kids’ Tour stop in Villefranche-sur-mer, during which he signed autographs and greeted young fans of Les Rouges et Blancs, Balogun spoke with Get French Football News.

You got your first brace for Monaco during the 5-2 victory over Metz, however, you didn’t seem too happy, saying that you ‘expect more of yourself’…

I wasn’t sad; I was more focused and more relieved, but I think I was just focused on coming on and helping the team. Of course, after the game I was delighted, but maybe my face didn’t show this. My inner feeling was one of gladness for sure.

In what has at times been a difficult debut season at Monaco, was there a relief to get that brace and do you think that that’ll free you to score before the end of the campaign?

That’s the plan! It’s always nice, as a striker, to score. It’s important. Any striker will tell you that the feeling of scoring is something that is just unexplainable. It’s nice to get the goal and the plan is to give myself the confidence going into the final games, which are the most important in helping us reach where we want to get to.

Having never competed in the Champions League, it must be an added motivation to finish on the podium in Ligue 1?

As you said, it is something that I’ve seen lots of my friends play in and they say that their feelings and the things they have experienced are unimaginable. I would love to be lining up before the game, and hearing that music. That’s the motivation to get it done this season.

How would you sum up your first season at the Principality club?

For me, it’s been a period of adaptation. Now, I expect big things from myself. For me, there is still more time in the season and I know that if I can have a positive end, then overall it will have been a productive season that I would have learnt a lot from. So for me, I am happy, I know that it’s a part of a process that will allow me to reach the goals that I am aiming for in the long run. I have to think long-term and stay focused.

As well as the Copa America, the Olympics are coming up this summer. Would you like to compete in this competition?

To represent my country in the Olympics is a dream for me. Obviously, I have never played in the Copa America and I am looking forward to this as well. I have to ask the club; the Olympics eats into the season a bit so I’m sure the club will let me know about this. For sure, it’s a dream and something that I want to do at some point in my career.

How are you feeling ahead of the final sprint in Ligue 1?

We feel relaxed. We feel confident. We know it is going to be difficult. Even the game against Metz, we didn’t go into it thinking that it would be easy. We still respect every opponent. Whether it is a European team or one fighting against relegation, we treat them the same. We know that we have to be at our best to get something out of the season.

The match against Rennes on Sunday is an opportunity to deal a significant blow to a European rival too…

It is getting to that part of the season where every game can maybe give you the confidence for Europe or ruin your chances so we have to stay focused on every game and think about ourselves; I am sure that Rennes are doing that. When the game approaches, we will approach it in the same way as we have done all season. We have to get rid of some of the mistakes and learn from the past.

With your formative club Arsenal competing at the top of the Premier League, have you given your former teammates some support as they look to win the title?

I give them my support [in the title race]. I still speak with a lot of them and when I’m in London we still go out for food. There is a good relationship there. I have also asked them about their experience playing in the Champions League having been out of it for so long and they’ve said that it is something that you would want to experience and something that is almost a once-in-a-lifetime experience so I’m looking forward to hopefully being a part of it. It’s amazing that I have the opportunity with Monaco.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle