AS Monaco has been chambered enough, since the dawn of time, on its soporific atmospheres at Louis II, for us to note how much its park of supporters found itself in turmoil in additional time, this Thursday in Germany . Winners (2-3) of a totally crazy round of 16 first leg of the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen, Philippe Clement’s men took an option on qualification. We tell you how unreal the end of the match was, when Monaco was trailing (2-1) and harmless for long minutes, a good quarter of an hour from the end of regulation time.
- 74th minute: Krépin Diatta manages to recover from an American control, near the German area, to sneak on his left foot and deliver a light shot that mystifies Hradecky (2-2).
- 82nd minute: The Chilean defender of ASM Guillermo Maripan injured his calf. But as his team has already made his five changes, he will have to spend the last 17 minutes limping and being in the heart of the game, where he will penalize his team the least (2-2).
- 85th: On a long ball in depth, Wissam Ben Yedder achieves a high class air control before chaining a half-volley pushed back by a reflex from Hradecky. It looked like a match point (2-2).
- 87th: Almost in stride, the Czech striker from Bayer Leverkusen Adam Hlozek smashes the right upright of a badly beaten Nübel. ASM can be happy to preserve the draw (2-2).
- 90th+2: A totally unexpected 25m missile from central defender and evening captain Axel Disasi allows the Monegasques to regain the advantage in added time.
- 90th+8: On a final mess, Monaco got away with it thanks to a totally heroic Guillermo Maripan, tackling everywhere while he was standing on only one leg.
- 90 + 9: The referee whistles the end of the meeting and Krépin Diatta and Piero Hincapie, who had just warmed up two minutes earlier, do it again. Replacing this Thursday, the Iranian Sardar Azmoun also comes to get confused with the Senegalese of the ASM. Ismail Jakobs and several other players get involved, for a more than electric post-match, on the verge of a general fight.
“We are progressing mentally”
One of the heroes of this money timethe defender of the Blues Axel Disasi, returned for RMC Sport on the start of the scuffle which enamelled the end of the meeting: “Over the last five minutes, there were small tensions between Krépin and their left back [Hincapie]. But these are just trivialities, we have to move on. Starting with a qualification for the round of 16 of the Europa League to be confirmed next Thursday, before starting to aim for the title in Ligue 1, where AS Monaco has just chained 6 wins and 2 draws?
If Axel Disasi is careful not to publicly announce such ambitions, he knows that this evening in the BayArena was anything but ordinary. “The scenario was incredible, that’s the strength of character of the group, relishes the former Rémois. Over the past few weeks, we feel that we are progressing technically and tactically, and we also see tonight that we are progressing mentally. So many qualities that make ASM (3rd) a serious outsider to overtake OM and PSG by the end of May, after having done the same with Lorient, Rennes and Lens, right?