AS Monaco, the youngest team in the Big 5 behind AC Milan
A team in the making. Like the match in Brest on Matchday 6 in Ligue 1, where three of the four Monegasque defenders came from the Academy, the Rouge et Blancs‘ squad has become much younger this season. This is borne out by the figures according to the latest study published by the CIES Football Observatory. The independent study center based in Neuchâtel and specializing in the statistical analysis of football, shows that the Principality club is giving pride of place to its young talents.
Exclusive @CIES_Football list of youngest teams worldwide🌱 @acmilan tops 🇮🇹 @SerieA with youngest line-ups in the big-5😍 @FCNordsjaelland youngest team in the top 2⃣0⃣ UEFA countries 👏 All data available in latest @CIES_Football Weekly Post ➡️ https://t.co/t2o0MfzAfJ pic.twitter.com/e9rGQdZfMb
— CIES Football Obs (@CIES_Football) October 26, 2020
An average age under 25 through the first seven matches
Thus, since the start of the season (the study stops on October 20 and does not take into account the match against Montpellier, n.b.), AS Monaco has picked, on average, the second-youngest team in the European Big 5 Leagues (Germany , England, Spain, France, Italy) since the start of the season, just behind AC Milan. Indeed, Niko Kovac‘s starting XIs have had an average age of 24.7 over the first seven Ligue 1 matches. It’s a sign that the club trusts young players, and especially talent from its Academy.
Still ranked in the Top 5 of the best training centers in France last season, the academy led by Bertrand Reuzeau saw Chrislain Matsima, Eliot Matazo and Enzo Millot, all aged 18, join the first team during preseason. Since then, they have made their debut in the top flight and continue to train daily with the Niko Kovac’s squad, joining Benoît Badiashile (19 years) and Giulian Biancone (20 years) – before his loan to Cercle Brugges, all also former Academy players.
Note that AS Monaco is ahead of Stade de Reims, AS Saint-Etienne and RB Leipzig in this ranking of the teams in the European Big 5 leagues.
