The French title and the Champions League semi-final or Monaco’s dream team of 2017

AS Monaco has historically been one of the most successful French football clubs, producing world-class stars for a long time. Players such as Thierry Henry, Patrice Evra and Lilian Thuram, among others, have worked for the famous Monaco club. The last time was the 2016/17 season, when the princely club once again surprised the whole of football Europe.

For AS Monaco, the 2016/17 season was an extremely successful one. The princely club won the league title again after seventeen long years, finishing eight points ahead of the already millionaire Paris.

The Monaco players fell in the French Cup final and ended their European campaign in the Champions League semi-finals after knocking out more than one favourite for overall triumph during their journey.

This text recalls a line-up full of stars who logically dispersed to European football’s big clubs the following transfer window or later. Who was it that played in the team that sensationally knocked out Manchester City in the Champions League eight-finals or stole the title from PSG, which at that time already had Neymar, Di Maria and Cavani?

In goal was the highly experienced Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subašić, a Hajduk Split alumnus who returned to the club in the summer after a ten-year stint in the south of France.

At left-back was the now infamous Benjamin Mendy, who headed to Manchester City after his Monaco success.

Italian defender Andrea Raggi and Poland’s Kamil Glik played at full-back. While the former has already retired, the latter tried his hand at Benevento in Italy.

The only player in the squad who is still playing for Monaco is right-back Djibril Sidibé, who appeared on loan in the English Premier League, specifically for Everton, in the 2019/20 season. However, upon his return, he preferred to continue at the princely club.

He is already starting to be a real force in midfield. On the left edge of midfield or directly in attack, the now world-famous Kylian Mbappé, who has linked his next engagement with PSG, operated and captured the eyes of all football fans for the first time. Thomas Lemar, who headed to Atlético Madrid after the season, also played on the left quite often.

In the centre of midfield, two of the trio of Fabinho, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Joao Moutinho usually played. All of the aforementioned have linked their next engagements with the Premier League, with Fabinho (Liverpool) and Moutinho (Wolverhampton) playing for their respective clubs so far, while Bakayoko subsequently headed to AC Milan after a season in the Isles.

Portugal’s Bernardo Silva was then a regular on the right flank of the midfield. He too eventually ended up in the top English competition, the skilful footballer was acquired by Manchester City, where he is currently playing in the form of his life.

Seasoned strikers such as Radamel Falcao and Valere Germain added the necessary experience. Falcao left for Galatasaray after his Ligue 1 engagement, but is currently playing in the Spanish La Liga for Vallecano. Germain went to Marseille for another season and now plays for Montpellier.

Source: Sky Sports, Youtube