AS Monaco
AS Monaco are expected to have a tremendous season now that they have guaranteed their much anticipated return to the top flight of French soccer – Ligue 1.
With Russian billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlev on a spending spree, the 2003 UEFA Champions League finalists are looking to challenge Paris Saint Germain as the next richest French soccer club in the world.
PSG signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier Pastore, David Beckham, Thiago Silva and Lucas Moura. This set of players brought glory back to Paris as they clinched their first league title since 1994.
Monaco began competing with this club by already signing James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho from FC Porto – the team that defeated Monaco 3-0 in the 2003 UEFA Champions League Final. In addition to these two guys, the free-spending French are on the verge of splashing the cash on the Colombian international striker, Radamel Falcao.
Atletico Madrid have tried to keep a hold of him but interest from England convinced the world that he was heading towards the UK … but Monaco swooped in and convinced him. Adding him can only mean one thing: Monaco does mean business.
Besides the signings, this club has a lot of heartfelt passion from faithful fans who have suffered by watching them partake in the second division for quite some time. Now that they are back in the top league, they have more cheering to do for their club that will bring in the right type of troops to do the job.
With all of this said, now is time to take a look at why this team will be a success in their return to Ligue 1 soccer.
Dmitry Rybolovlev
This Russian billionaire purchased AS Monaco because he knew this team had something special. The last time they did anything major was reaching the 2003 Champions League Final in which they fell 0-3 against FC Porto -- a team he has already done god business with in signing midfield duo James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho. He is also on the verge of signing former Porto striker Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid.
Now, in their return to Ligue 1, they are looking to compete financially as well as tactically against their fellow free spenders, Paris Saint Germain.
Claudio Ranieri
The man who once coached Chelsea, Inter Milan and AS Roma, is now coaching AS Monaco on their return to Ligue 1 after successfully bringing them back from the next division.
He has the mindset, capabilities and obviously assets to construct a team that can compete with the best in France. Perhaps even the best in Europe in a couple of years in their expected appearance in European soccer.
Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez
This midfield duo played a key role in FC Porto's Portuguese league triumph. Of course, the French Ligue 1 is tougher and more competitive, so this is an adventure these two guys will relish. They will have the talent needed to control Monaco's midfield against some of the best France.
Radamel Falcao
He's the man who scored 18 goals in FC Porto's Europa League triumph two seasons ago and who led Atletico Madrid in scoring this season. He is on his way to Monaco.
The competition is not as fierce in France as it may be in England, but French soccer is on the ride continuously. With him joining the return to Ligue 1, they can compete with Paris Saint Germain atop the league.
Ligue 1
This is a league that used to be dominated by Olympique Lyonnais and is being dominated by Paris Saint Germain. Those two teams are the best in recent history with the exception of Montpellier.
With AS Monaco being run by a Russian billionaire and being coached by an experienced coach in Ranieri, the returners will build a team that can compete in the top flight of French soccer. With all of these weapons and the ones on their way, the expectations are high but they will what it takes to be great ... if they play their cards right.
