AS Monaco coach Niko Kovac insisted his side still need to make sure of fourth place before thinking about qualifying for the Champions League following their handsome victory over AS Saint-Etienne on Friday.
“I have always said we need to go step by step and first of all make sure of fourth place,” Kovac insisted after the principality club triumphed 4-0 at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard with goals from Stevan Jovetic, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Sofiane Diop and Krépin Diatta.
“We are in a good position in the table but we can talk about something else after we have made sure of fourth place, not before. We know the qualities of Lille, Lyon and Paris and they will be very difficult to overtake.”
The result leaves Monaco just a point behind both Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, and they play each other on Sunday. Monaco also still have to host Lyon in May. Kovac’s side are also now 14 points better off than fifth-placed Olympique de Marseille, who play on Saturday. Fourth place qualifies for next season’s Europa League, while fifth will go into the brand new UEFA Europa Conference League.
Praise for Jovetic
Monaco have won 11 and lost just one of their last 15 league games but Kovac said the performance at Le Chaudron was up there with their best all season.
“When we are concentrated, when we press high, it is difficult for our opponents,” said the former Bayern Munich coach, whose decision to select Jovetic ahead of Wissam Ben Yedder paid off despite the ex-Manchester City player missing an early penalty.
“’Jove’ played very well. He missed a penalty, that can happen, but he scored straight after. He deserved to play because he has come on as a substitute more times than anyone else this season, 22 times, and he played well in the last few matches,” Kovac said.
“It was not a punishment for Wissam, it is just that a coach needs competition for places and I am very pleased to have talented players in attack like Ben Yedder, Jovetic and (Kevin) Volland.”
Saint-Etienne outclassed
Meanwhile, Saint-Etienne coach Claude Puel admitted his struggling side had been outclassed as they slumped to a third defeat in their last four outings.
“Monaco played with lots of intensity from the off, and had more technical quality. We tried to compete with them but we couldn’t keep up with their rhythm and we couldn’t keep hold of the ball after winning it back,” he said.
“We were too far off it. It hurts, and we can’t accept conceding goals like that and losing in that manner. I have no regrets like in certain matches where we deserved better. This time the step up was too big.”
>> MATCH REPORT: Jovetic on target as Monaco outclass Saint-Etienne
