Acclaimed by 90% of respondents, the tenure of Ben Yedder is eagerly awaited by Monegasque supporters. Captain of the ASM, the French International, who has already scored 14 goals this season in Ligue 1, embodies the Asemist revival of this second part of the season. After taking a serious option in the first leg by winning in Germany, the former Sevillian’s teammates are favorites for qualification.
© Ben Yedder, congratulating Golovin after the Monegasque opener.
The years follow and look alike on the Rock. Under the tutelage of Philippe Clément, the Monegasques have got into the habit of starting their season with poor performances, before starting a remarkable finish in the fall. If the exercise is divided into two acts, and each match in two halvesthis dual temporality perfectly suits a team capable of the worst disappointments between August and October, then of the greatest victories between February and May.
Well placed to come and disrupt the mano a mano between OM and PSG, ASM, eliminated from the Coupe de France, but still engaged on two counts, has serious advantages in this race for the podium, if not for the title.
While the Lensoise and Rennes mishaps seem to augur a more difficult end to the season for Bretons and northerners, Monegasque experience is proving more than valuable when it comes to getting to the heart of the matter of a highly contested season.
Or, this Monegasque maturity is carried through and through by the native of Sarcelles, who, like his former teammate in EDF, Ballon d’Or 2022, never seems to give in to panic, and through his serenity offers the opportunity its partners to transcend themselves to win.
Also, 24 hours from the reception of Leverkusen, some hope to see the striker trained in Toulouse start. Although competition in C3 promises to be formidable this year, many already imagine ASM going all the way. Tactical balance, international squad, bench depth: there are many assets available to P.Clement’s training.
The only downside: the state of form of its leaders. If Ben Yedder is tipped to start against Xabi Alonso’s team tomorrow, his presence in the starting lineup against Brest on Sunday would rather suggest the opposite, his coach having the habit of blowing him out of every other match.
Given the advantage that the asemists have, the Belgian technician could try to spare his player, even if it means bringing it in along the way. Nevertheless, such a decision would be a little too dangerously a bet, the European scene being the scene of all the surprises and all the ups and downs.
no doubt that with a former Madrid player on the bench, the Germans will try to thwart the predictions. The presence of Ben Yedder from the kick-off could cloud this prospect.
