From Kondogbia to Berbatov. All the pitfalls of Monaco – La Gazzetta dello Sport

March 20, 2015 – Milan

The draw has been kind to Juventus, but now the qualification in the semifinals have to win on the field. The Monaco Leonardo Jardim is the real surprise of the season’s Champions League, came up to the quarterfinals after winning Group C – leaving behind Bayer Leverkusen, Zenit and Benfica – and having eliminated Arsenal in the quarter, while risking their comeback -beffa in the second leg at home.

the previous – Monaco-Juventus is the new edition of the semi-final of the Champions League 1997/1998. Then, Juve Lippi was able to get through the round against the team of Barthez, Sagnol and young Henry and Trezeguet. In Turin ended 4-1, with a hat-trick of Del Piero and a goal from Zidane. In the Principality of Monaco comeback stopped 3-2: for the Bianconeri marked Amoruso and, again, Del Piero. That was the highest point in the recent history of Monaco, except for the wonderful ride in Champions of 2003/2004, when the red and white stood only in the final against Porto Mourinho.

run in Ligue 1 – Compared to those times is all a Another Monaco. Fourth in Ligue 1 after being a long time in mid-table, the club of the Principality is living without doubt the best phase of his season. In the last 13 league games the Monegasque have lost only once away with Guingamp, and could join the fight for the title with Lyon, PSG and Marseille, because now the peak is far 8 points, but the team has Jardim a game in hand.

the stars – And ‘the midfield the strength of the team’s technical Portuguese, who replaced Ranieri last summer. The trio of Moutinho, Toulalan and Kondogbia is a right mix of technique and athleticism, can cover a defense that the names do not seem pompous – Fabinho, Rays, Carvalho, Kurzawa line 4 front Subasic – but that is very difficult to pierce. So far, in fact, in the Monaco Cup have conceded only four goals, three of which Arsenal over two legs of the second round. Forward, the tip of reference is Berbatov, scorer of the old breed that in the summer of 2013 did argue Juventus and Fiorentina before you settle down to Fulham; on either side of the young French and Moroccan Martial Dirar in a 4-3-3 most of containment that thrust.

the – Until a few months the Monaco seemed destined to become a new power in world football. Purchased by Russian tycoon Rybolovlev in December 2011, the Monegasque company immediately lifts from Ligue 2 and then gave birth to a recruitment Pharaonic summer of 2013. In the Principality came Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho, Abidal, Ricardo Carvalho . After his second place finish last year, however, the Monaco has reversed the march, and the two best talent, James and Falcao, are parties to Madrid and Manchester. Paradoxically, without the two biggest stars, the team seems to have found an amalgam that was missing last year, reaching unexpected results early in the season. It thus remains the obligation not to underestimate the Monaco, but at Juventus could go much worse.

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