Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco faced off this Wednesday at the Parc des Princes in the second leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League playoff tie. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, securing PSG’s qualification (5-4 on aggregate) for the Round of 16 (draw this Friday). After the match, Monaco coach Sébastien Pocognoli spoke at a press conference.
Pocognoli: “We need to use this for the end of the season.”
What are your feelings after this match? Great frustration? Satisfaction?
There are two feelings. The first is pride. Over the two matches, and throughout the Champions League, we’ve been quite satisfactory and have been able to grow in the competition to arrive with a certain consistency in this match. I told my players that making PSG doubt themselves a little in this match would already be a great success. We did that until the very last second, playing with 10 against 11, so hats off to the players.
Then, I feel frustrated, because you have to wonder what would have happened with 11 men in both matches. It’s the same for the players. We have to use this experience for the end of the season. If we want to relive nights like these, it has to come through competition.
Pocognoli: “There’s also a bit of anger.”
Was the red card for Coulibaly the turning point of the match?
I think so, just as the card in the first match was also a negative turning point. There’s also the goal conceded directly, which somewhat dampened our hopes, even though we almost came back. If we want to isolate that red card, the questions will come later, but I don’t think it was deserved. It was a bit harsh. Especially since the two cards came in quick succession; he’s a young player.
No problem if he gives it away, then he should give Hernandez a yellow card 10 minutes later. There’s a psychological aspect to it with him, a World Cup winner, not a young player. There are double standards. This happens far too often this season with Monaco, unfortunately. Beyond frustration or pride, there’s also a bit of anger.
Are there weaknesses in PSG, particularly in defense?
We’re starting to understand them; we’ve played three matches. We’re exploring their weaknesses amidst their enormous strengths. We’ve made the most of our strengths. We’ve done it rather well, not always perfectly, to exploit what they’ve left open.
Pocognoli: “We’re eliminated, but with our heads held high.”
A waste of opportunity considering Monaco’s level?
We can always be critical. (…) We could have done more, but the campaign is satisfactory. We’re out, but with our heads held high. We played with a young team, which bodes well for the future.
Is this PSG at the same level as last year? Is Paris much weaker?
I didn’t watch many of last year’s matches (smiles). This season, we haven’t felt inferior to many teams. We played with great heart and a strong mentality, and that’s growing as the season progresses. We need to build on that.
A benchmark match for you?
The first half was impressive. That’s where I’d like to see this team go. Especially without the ball. Against one of the best teams in Europe, we caused them a lot of problems. That means a lot, especially with a young team that’s still developing. It might be a benchmark for the first 45 minutes. It could have been for the whole match if we’d finished with 11 players, but we’ll never know.
Pocognoli: “There weren’t any collective sequences that hurt us today, which is very satisfying.”
You led twice in the playoffs, what was missing besides the red cards?
Of the four goals we conceded (out of five), two were similar: a shot, a bounce, and we weren’t there. Sometimes, we also suffer from the quality of the opposition, even if we didn’t see much of it today. There was a lack of concentration on the first goal today. But there weren’t any collective sequences that hurt us today, which is very satisfying. There’s a lot to take away from this.
