Performances, Champions League, demands… Thiago Scuro reviews the season | OneFootball

Satisfied with having secured a second consecutive qualification for the Champions League, the CEO of AS Monaco spoke to the press to discuss the season's results.

Goal achieved! On the way to finishing for the second time in a row on the  podium in the top flight, AS Monaco has secured a Champions League spot again next season. It was with a certain satisfaction, but also with the ambition to raise the bar once again, that the Club’s CEO, Thiago Scuro, took stock of the past season in front of the press. Excerpts 🎙️

An overall assessment of the season

For me, we have achieved the main objective we set out to achieve last summer: to continue competing in the Champions League group stage, which we have achieved after qualifying for the second time in a row. From that perspective, the season has been a success! But it’s also time for us to take a closer look at what happened throughout this season.

For example, I think that some of the mistakes we made on the pitch could have been avoided, to achieve our goals more confidently. I think we could have gone further in the Champions League, and I must admit that being eliminated from the Coupe de France was a big disappointment. Finally, regarding the way we finished the season, regardless of the fact that our main goal had already been achieved, we should have done better, and that’s something we need to pay attention to. To have the ambition to be regularly at the top of the Ligue 1 table, we need to do more!

I think we need to focus on mentality! We're trying to build an organization where people want to win every game, no matter the deadline. We've made progress in this area, but there's still work to be done, and I'd like to emphasize this last game against Lens, which shows that we still have a lot of work to do in this area.

Thiago ScuroOn a need for desire

The search for consistency

We’ve had similar trajectories over the past two seasons, with a very strong start and a more difficult period in the middle of the season in terms of performance and therefore results. Last year, this could be explained by the Africa Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup, so we’ll have to work to reduce the impact of these competitions on our season, since they will be taking place again. This year, we had a younger squad with fewer opportunities to rotate due to injuries and suspensions, even though we had one of the highest availability rates in the league at 88%.

But more generally, I think we need to focus on mentality! We’re trying to build an organization where people want to win every game, no matter the deadline. We’ve made progress in this area, but there’s still work to be done, and I’d like to emphasize this last game against Lens, which shows that we still have a lot of work to do in this area.

On recruitment

This mentality issue has nothing to do with the quality of the team! Because for me the squad was better than last season, whether in terms of quality, options, or talent. But we had to make adjustments in the winter transfer window, just like a year and a half ago, to fill some gaps. This was also seen in the second half of the season, whether in 2023-2024 or this year, with the additions of Moatasem Al-Musrati and Mika Biereth, who brought us new solutions

On a duty for desire

For me, the issue isn’t just about individuals, but more about how to instill a winning mindset in our daily work. It’s my responsibility, that of the coaching staff, and the entire organization to instill this! If Paris Saint-Germain has been so dominant this season, it’s above all thanks to the mentality of its squad! This should be a source of inspiration for us, to always strive for victories and success. We can improve on this, that’s for sure! But it’s not a speech that can change that; it’s a daily effort, even if our recruitment can also be a driving force, with players who push others to be better.

We have already made progress in this direction, and even if I understand that the season is sometimes long and that we have to constantly start again after a result, our job is to always be at 100%. It is not about joking or being relaxed! And if we have this way of thinking, we will be even better, I am convinced of that! For me, the challenge for the coming season will be to know how to allow our organization to move up a level to this level.

We are very happy with Adi Hütter's contract extension because he is one of the keys to what we are building at AS Monaco and to our success. Beyond the tactical and technical aspects, he has, above all, a very human profile that perfectly suits the way we wor

On Adi Hütter

We are very happy with Adi Hütter’s contract extension because he is one of the keys to what we are building at AS Monaco and to our success. Beyond the tactical and technical aspects, he has, above all, a very human profile that perfectly suits the way we work. We now need to study how we can be better because AS Monaco has the possibility of going further in the Champions League and the Coupe de France. We could have finished the season with more of a sense of calm. This is indicated by our total expected points (number of expected points, editor’s note), which are much higher than what we achieved. We must therefore take this into consideration, to come back stronger. There was a risk that we would not be in the Champions League next season, and we must reduce this risk as much as possible! What we have done these last two years was enough to achieve our objectives, but I always want to go higher.

On the mercato

We’ve been discussing next season for a few weeks, analyzing what we need to improve. We’ve been discussing with Adi (Hütter), Carlos (Aviña), the president, and myself about the investment strategy we need to adopt. The goal is to be even stronger, and therefore to make some adjustments with the summer transfer window.

In this regard, it's really important to highlight the President's support in this recruitment, because he understood the need to recruit for this position during the winter transfer window, rather than opting for a loan to fill the gap in Folarin Balogun's absence. We clearly believed Mika was the best solution, but to do so, we needed the President's support.

In the transfer window, there are always two phases: the first at the end of the season, and a second with natural movements that respond to the first phase. We are therefore working on the possibilities that will be available to us, such as recruiting Eric Dier, whose arrival we have already announced for July 1st. For the rest, we will be able to replace any player who might have to leave; we have no doubt about that, because we have sufficient knowledge of the market and the resources to do so.

On the recruitment of Mika Biereth

The best decision of the season? It’s probably one of the best, yes (smiles)! In this regard, it’s really important to highlight the President’s support in this recruitment, because he understood the need to recruit for this position during the winter transfer window, rather than opting for a loan to fill the gap in Folarin Balogun’s absence. We clearly believed Mika was the best solution, but to do so, we needed the President’s support. And when you see Mika’s personality and mindset, who seems to have been there for years already, the ease with which he has integrated, and how he communicates with everyone, it validates our decision.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our team of analysts, who made sure to integrate him quickly by working with him a lot on video to show him how his teammates play. And conversely, by presenting Mika’s qualities to Maghnes (Akliouche), Takumi (Minamino), Eliesse (Ben Seghir) and Aleksandr (Golovin). And I think this process was importatnt to his rapid adaptation!

The collective strength of AS Monaco

An MVP of the season? That’s your job, not mine (smiles). I think we have several players at different times during the season who have been decisive, and it wouldn’t be right for me to highlight one over others. But for me, Denis (Zakaria), Thilo (Kehrer), Wilfried (Singo) had a big impact, just as Mika (Biereth) was one of the keys to our success in the second part of the season.

For the moment, Saïmon Bouabré and Lucas Michal have already joined the first team this season and will be there for preseason. We also have a lot of faith in players like Samuel Nibombé, who recently extended his contract with AS Monaco. There will therefore be room for our young players in preseason, especially with the absence of the international players when training resumes.

Thiago ScuroOn the place given to young players at the Academy

This is without forgetting Maghnes (Akliouche) of course, the return to form of Caio Henrique as well as Vanderson who became a Brazilian international. Je pense aussi à nos jeunes recrues que sont Lamine Camara et Christian Mawissa, qui ont fait une très bonne première saison. Voilà pourquoi je ne veux pas mettre un seul joueur en avant, car c’est un sport d’équipe, et il n’y a pas un seul héros, c’est un travail collectif.

On the contributions of the Elite Group

This is one of the keys to our strategy; we want to recruit the best talents to help them blossom, particularly with the Elite Group, and we have focused our attention on this point over the last two seasons. For the moment, Saïmon Bouabré and Lucas Michal have already joined the pro squad this season and will be there for preseason. We also have a lot of faith in players like Samuel Nibombé, who recently  extended his contract with AS Monaco.There will therefore be room for our young players in pre-season, especially in the absence of the internationals at the start of the season. We want to give them the opportunity to express themselves this summer, as Soungoutou Magassa was able to do before them, for example, in order to then judge whether they need to grow elsewhere on loan or whether they will be part of the squad to start the 2025-2026 season.

In any case, we want to be patient with them, because not everyone can break out at the highest level at 17 like Lamine Yamal. The norm is more of a constant progression like Maghnes and Eliesse have experienced, with a 2-3-4 year process to reach the highest level. Clubs are signing younger and younger players for high amounts, but I think we need to find a balance at this level so as not to put too much pressure on these players. What is certain, however, is that the Elite Group is becoming more and more important for us season after season, and in fact we are preparing to play the final of the Challenge Espoirs this Wednesday against Rennes, which is a good sign of what we want to do with this team.

And it’s important for our players to understand that performing well with the reserves is the best way for them to become top players in the future. Since my arrival in 2023, young players who have taken their time, like Maghnes, Eliesse, or Soungoutou, have had more success than players who went on loan. History shows that it works better when you can track a player’s development, like Félix Lemarechal who had a successful loan spell at Cercle Bruges and became a good Ligue 1 player at a top club like Strasbourg.

I would like to congratulate our sales team, which has managed to increase our revenue, increase stadium attendance by 20%, as well as the number of season ticket holders. This progress allows us to partially cover the shortfall in TV rights revenue, which also allows us to operate with the same budget, which has already been approved by the President.

On the preseason

The first phase of it will begin on June 28, with the first players returning for the usual medical tests. Players who take part in international matches will then return on July 2. A training camp will then take place in England at St. George’s Park like two years ago. We are also planning friendly matches, which we will announce as soon as we have confirmation.

Regarding TV rights

We still don’t know what will happen this summer, which is obviously uncomfortable, even though we experienced the same situation last year, with a resolution reached only on August 2nd. I would like to congratulate our sales team, which has managed to increase our revenue, increase stadium attendance by 20%, as well as the number of season ticket holders. This progress allows us to partially cover the shortfall in TV rights revenue, which also allows us to operate with the same budget, which has already been approved by the President.

We now need to ensure that this doesn’t happen every year, because it’s a challenge to build a budget with all these uncertainties. But in light of this, the President of the French Football Federation has given the first guidelines regarding the new organization of French football, and I believe that this system will bring greater stability to our league. We are also fully committed to this change, which should allow us to become stronger in the future.

We are the second best team in Ligue 1 at home this season behind Paris Saint-Germain, and I think the increase in attendance of around 20% has something to do with it! The Club is working hard to implement actions and events with our fans, particularly to make the experience at the Stade Louis-II the best possible. (...) What I feel is that our players are all the stronger when they feel popular enthusiasm, a full stadium behind them!

Thiago ScuroOn the support of the Club's fans

On the team’s new equipment supplier, Mizuno

We began discussions 18 months ago with various candidates. It became clear that Mizuno demonstrated a strong desire and ambition to partner with AS Monaco. The Asian connection is obviously key to this partnership, not to mention that Mizuno has a global presence, which ensures we can increase our revenue and impact worldwide. This is also one of the reasons why we are partnering with this brand.

The support of Monaco’s fans

We’re the second-best home team in Ligue 1 this season behind Paris Saint-Germain, and I think the 20% increase in attendance has something to do with it! The Club is working hard to implement initiatives and events with our fans, particularly to ensure the experience at the Stade Louis-II is the best possible. Let’s continue to improve, to become an ever more attractive club, thanks in particular to the Champions League. But what I feel is that our players are even stronger when they feel the enthusiasm of the fans, with a full stadium behind them!

Finishing in the top three of Ligue 1 remains crucial for us, considering the financial problems we discussed earlier, particularly regarding TV rights. Being consistently in the Champions League group stage protects the club from this situation. But we want to progress in this competition, because while the most important thing is to qualify, we saw this season that it was possible to finish in the top eight and therefore make things easier for ourselves in terms of the schedule, as Lille did. It obviously depends a lot on the opponents you face, but if we’re talking about the round of 32 this season, Benfica was a team within our reach. We could have qualified, which is why I hope to go further next year in this prestigious competition.