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With the resumption of Ligue 1 only days away, AS Monaco have already finished their preparations for the new campaign. Thanks to the massive investment made by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, the Monegasque club offers yet another interesting and perhaps glamorous football projects in Europe.
With Paris Saint-Germain already taking huge leaps towards becoming a force to be reckoned with both in France and in Europe, it is now time for Monaco to make some progress of their own.This summer has seen the Principality club spend lavishly on the likes of Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Jeremy Toulalan and it’s quite evident that the newly-promoted French club is keen on mounting a title assault this season.
However, it might not be easy for Monaco to come and conquer all. In recent past, Paris Saint-Germain learnt that money cannot buy success in football. Following the arrival of Qatari owners, PSG became quite a phenomenon in France as they spent a lot of money in the transfer market to bring in new players. However, that season saw PSG finish behind eventual champions Montpellier Herault. Even the presence of Carlo Ancelotti could not help Les Parisiens win a trophy that at that time, had eluded them for 18 years.
PSG’s first adventure under new ownership shows that regardless of how many good players are signed, a team takes time to develop cohesion. Although PSG finally managed to win the league title last season, it was not smooth sailing by any means as the likes of Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais chased them till the very last few weeks of the Championnat.
Now Monaco with all the talent at their disposal, should also learn the hard way. Last season, PSG’s former sporting director Leonardo stated that when it comes to playing against PSG, all teams play as if they are playing a cup final. Indeed, most of the sides in France ‘upped’ their game and played the capital club like there was no tomorrow so the case might be the same next season when mediocre teams play against Monaco.
In late June, the disciplinary committee, LFP deducted two points from Monaco following a pitch invasion during the game against Le Mans at Stade Louis II and an act of violence against the match referee. This is quite a sever sanction if it is confirmed as the club could start the season with negative points.
Leadership will also play a big role in where Monaco end up by the end of next season. Toulalan has the ability to lead the team and so do the likes of Eric Abidal and Ricardo Carvalho.
A lot will also depend on how soon Radamel Falcao sets the ground running. The Colombian has an insatiable desire for scoring goals and if the former Porto man finds his feet early on in the season, Monaco might be able to at least push for a place in the Champions League which is very likely considering the kind of players Claudio Ranieri has at his disposal.
The new PSG version with its stars, has helped improve the image of French football and has also seen the club’s popularity rise within the country. However, it remains to be seen if history will repeat itself in Monaco’s case. Popular clubs like Marseille and Lyon, ever present in Europe, are unlikely to fade into oblivion which means that the club will have to carve its own identity.
Every new project takes time to finish and the upcoming campaign will be a massive one for the AS Monaco as it will decide where the club could be in the next few years or so.
