Monaco 'totally efficient' in winning at Leverkusen
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Article summary
While Leonardo Jardim enjoyed AS Monaco FC's clinical display at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, the home side were left to count the cost of a series of missed chances.
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• Aymen Abdennour believes Monaco's solidity was key to victory
• Coach Leonardo Jardim describes match as "100% efficiency"
• Substitute Lucas Ocampo scores only goal in Germany
• Roger Schmidt: "If you don't score, you'll get punished"
• Next games: Benfica v Leverkusen, Monaco v Zenit (9 December)
Aymen Abdennour, Monaco defender
It's not easy to win here against a great team like Leverkusen, especially at their place. But we were really solid. We implemented the coach's instructions and were very aggressive in trying to win the ball back. We came here to win and that's what we did.
Of course it's difficult to defend [against Leverkusen's attacking players] but we discussed our game plan and it worked. Now we need to continue in the same vein. We put in a really good defensive performance against a team with plenty of pace in attack. Hopefully we can put in a similar showing against Zenit [on matchday six]. If we can keep a clean sheet, we'll qualify.
Ricardo Carvalho, Monaco defender
We were a little bit lucky to win. We didn't play as well as we should have but if you have an opportunity to score and take it, and they don't score, then [we win].
It's important to get into the next round and we've done a good job so far. We didn't play too well tonight but in the other games we did our job so now we have the opportunity to go through. A draw will be enough for us [against FC Zenit on matchday six], so if we can't get the win we need to make sure we get the draw.
Dimitar Berbatov, Monaco forward
We did well tonight. We know how they play and that they were going to get tired in the second half, so we took our chance. Today we only scored one goal but that was enough for us and everybody's happy. Against Zenit it's going to be difficult. It's an important game, but we'll be well prepared.
Leonardo Jardim, Monaco coach
I just thought how inexplicable football can be. There have been many matches where the efficiency had been missing. Ocampos had a big chance against Benfica in Lisbon and didn't score; today the chance was much more difficult and he put it in. Today it's been 100% efficiency.
We've been very well prepared for this match. It was about keeping the pitch very small and we did that very well. Now it's going to be a final against Zenit, for both teams. We won't change anything. We'll try to play like we have done and be focused.
Roger Schmidt, Leverkusen coach
It's strange. This was a copy of the first match between the teams. Monaco have had two shots on goal and have won both matches. We played well and had chances to score. But in football, if you don't score, you'll get punished. I didn't expect Monaco to play so defensively, but their tactic bore fruit.
They scored from a situation that was not dangerous. We tried to get back into the match and gave everything. But now we have to accept that you can win a match with only one chance. We have to learn something from this for the future.
We started well and showed that we wanted to win this match. We want to be first in the group to be in a good position for the last-16 draw. Now we'll try to win in Lisbon. I have the feeling that we're the best team in this group and that's what everybody will see in the table at the end of the group stage.
Josip Drmić, Leverkusen forward
I'm more disappointed to be honest because we had plenty of attacks and a lot of chances but we didn't score a goal. It was a shame, but I'm more annoyed with the defeat than happy about going through tonight. I had several chances. I was clean through and did everything right except the finish.
Monaco are clearly a very experienced team. You could see that. When they score their only chance of the game, it's hard to come back from that.
Karim Bellarabi, Leverkusen forward
We wanted to win tonight or at least get a point. Unfortunately it didn't work out for us up front but it says a lot that we're into the next round already.
We had a lot of chances which we didn't take and then Monaco scored their only chance of the game. It was similar to the reverse fixture. We were the better side, so that makes it frustrating.