MONACO, France — AS Monaco owner Dimitri Rybolovlev visited the club’s performance center in La Turbie on Tuesday, seeking accountability from the coaching staff and key players like Denis Zakaria, Thilo Kehrer, Breel Embolo, and Alexandre Golovine. With just three matches left in the season, the team’s disappointing performance at Stade Océane has left Monaco in a vulnerable fourth position in Ligue 1, intensifying Rybolovlev’s need to motivate the squad.
This visit coincided with a previously scheduled meeting led by General Director Thiago Scuro and Technical Director Carlos Avina who also expressed their dissatisfaction with the team’s inconsistent performance. Concerns were raised about the players not investing enough effort, their varying levels of performance against stronger versus weaker teams, and the distractions ahead of the summer transfer window. “If you think about your transfers, don’t presume you’ll leave the way you want. The most important thing is the club,” reportedly was the crux of their message.
The management’s decision to confront the players stems from a growing belief that not everyone is aligned in their goals. Golovine, who is officially sidelined due to adductor issues, has been rumored to be counting down the days until a potential return to Russia. Similarly, Eliesse Ben Seghir seems unfocused, with limited playing time straining his relationship with the coach. The club is also preparing for potential departures, with Maghnes Akliouche, linked with PSG, expected to leave at season’s end.
Multiple young players, including Saïmon Bouabré, Lucas Michal, and George Ilenikhena, have faced exclusion on matchdays since the return of injured players, adding to the frustration within the squad. In light of this, players were urged to find greater motivation, especially knowing that qualification for less glamorous European competitions lie ahead if their performance doesn’t improve.
Club officials referenced the importance of a particular 2000% effort to secure a spot in the Champions League, but the signing of Eric Dier was met with mixed reactions in the locker room, indicating ongoing tensions. Meanwhile, Thilo Kehrer was absent from training for two days due to a knock sustained during the match against Havre, leaving the starting center-back pairing uncertain for their upcoming game against Saint-Étienne.
As the pressure mounts, a group meal was organized for midday Wednesday to promote team unity; however, collective relief will likely only come with a victory this Saturday. Rybolovlev’s urgency is palpable, particularly with just two points separating the third-place team, Lille, and the seventh-place team, Strasbourg. A member close to the group remarked, “If they hadn’t confronted the players, they would have regretted it. How can you not be under pressure with the standings so tight?”
