Monaco vs St Etienne preview - Galtier ready for Monaco test
Posted Thursday, April 02, 2015 by PA
St Etienne head coach Christophe Galtier is braced for what he considers the toughest possible assignment his team could face when they tackle Monaco in Ligue 1 on Friday.
The summer exits of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez, and the appointment of former Sporting Lisbon boss Leonardo Jardim, looked to affect Monaco in a rocky opening to their season.
However they have been resurgent since the autumn and are pushing hard for a top-three finish, with a title push still feasible.
Monaco are also preparing for a Champions League quarter-final against Juventus.
The trip to the Stade Louis II does, however, offer St Etienne the chance to climb above their fourth-placed hosts in the cramped upper echelons of the French top flight, and Galtier is vowing to be positive.
Asked how St Etienne would approach the game, he said: "With a lot of serenity and determination. We'll be ready.
"It's an important match for getting into Europe. We'll go to Monaco with the determination to want to win. That being said, the season doesn't rest on Friday against Monaco."
Monaco have lost just one of their last 14 league games, with Jardim's team posting 10 wins and three draws over that stretch.
St Etienne in turn had a sparkling March, winning all three of their league fixtures, and Galtier said on his club's website: "What is important is to attack well on the final sprint. We have to continue to believe in our abilities and our qualities."
Monaco will be hampered by the absence of veteran defender Ricardo Carvalho, ruled out by a knee injury.
Should the home side win, they would close to just a point behind third-placed Marseille, and only three adrift of leaders Paris St Germain.
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