AS Monaco: 2017–18 Champions League Squad

AS Monaco is one of the prominent clubs in European football. During the 2016-17 season, they impressively won the Ligue 1 title, which granted them a spot in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League. However, this edition of the competition posed a significant challenge for the team, which underwent major squad changes. In this article, we will take a detailed look at AS Monaco squad during this tournament and highlight the key players representing the club.

Overview of AS Monaco 2017-18 Season

After clinching the French league title in the 2016-17 season, AS Monaco’s prospects in the Champions League were sky-high. The club was expected to build on its domestic success and challenge the best in Europe. However, a series of key player departures, including Kylian Mbappé’s high-profile move to Paris Saint-Germain and Benjamin Mendy’s transfer to Manchester City, created significant gaps in the squad. These losses were a blow to Monaco’s attacking and defensive capabilities, with Mbappé’s speed and finishing particularly hard to replace.

Despite these setbacks, AS Monaco made efforts to stay competitive by signing new players and strengthening their squad. The club brought in talents like Keita Baldé, Stevan Jovetić, and other reinforcements to fill the void left by their departed stars. While these signings added depth to the team, the adjustment period proved challenging, especially in European competitions. Monaco’s ability to maintain their high level of performance was tested, and despite some individual moments of brilliance, the team struggled to replicate the same form from their title-winning campaign. The season served as a reminder of the difficulties in maintaining success amidst constant player turnover.

Goalkeepers :

AS Monaco had experienced goalkeepers in the 2017-18 season. Croatian Danijel Subašić was the team’s main goalkeeper, having delivered outstanding performances in previous seasons. Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio also provided valuable experience as a strong backup option.

Defensive Line :

Monaco’s defense featured several notable players who contributed to the team’s stability, including:

• Djibril Sidibé (France): A right-back with strong attacking capabilities.
• Jemerson (Brazil): A reliable center-back known for his aerial prowess.
• Jorge (Brazil): A young left-back with pace and defensive skills.

Despite having these players, AS Monaco defense struggled due to the many changes it underwent.

Midfield :

Monaco’s midfield combined young talents with experienced players:

• Fabinho (Brazil): A standout defensive midfielder and one of the team’s best players.
• João Moutinho (Portugal): A veteran midfielder who provided precision passing and leadership.
• Youri Tielemans (Belgium): A young talent with a promising future.
• Rachid Ghezzal (Algeria): A skillful winger brought in to replace departed players.

Despite these names, the team could not dominate play as it did in the previous season.

Attack :

Monaco’s attack suffered from the departure of Kylian Mbappé, but they retained key forwards such as:

• Radamel Falcao (Colombia): The team captain and primary goal scorer.
• Stevan Jovetić (Montenegro): A talented striker signed to boost the attack.
• Keita Baldé (Senegal): A fast and skillful winger who was a strong addition to the squad.
• Adama Diakhaby (France): A young player eager to prove himself.

However, the attack was not as potent as it had been in the previous season.

Monaco’s Performance in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League

Monaco struggled significantly in the Champions League group stage. They were placed in a tough group alongside FC Porto, Beşiktaş, and RB Leipzig. The team failed to secure any notable victories, leading to an early exit from the competition, which was a major disappointment for the fans.

Impact of Departing Stars on Team Performance

The departure of key players had a critical impact on AS Monaco performance in the Champions League. Despite coach Leonardo Jardim’s efforts to compensate for the losses, the significant squad changes affected team cohesion and performance negatively.

Conclusion

The 2017-18 season was a turning point for AS Monaco, revealing the challenges the club faced after their exceptional title-winning campaign in 2017. Despite disappointing performances in the Champions League, the team retained some talented players who continued to shine in the following years. Notable figures like Radamel Falcao and Thomas Lemar helped keep the team competitive.

However, the departures of key players such as Kylian Mbappé and Bernardo Silva were a significant blow. The drop in performance exposed areas the club needed to improve, particularly in strengthening the squad and developing young talents. This period served as an important lesson for AS Monaco in managing success, especially with the challenges of staying at the top and maintaining stability in their team to compete at the highest levels.