Thiago Scuro's reaction after the UCL draw
The die is cast. This Thursday evening, the Rouge et Blanc discovered the identity of the eight teams that the club from the Principality will have the honor of facing during this 2024-2025 Champions League campaign. The draw, carried out at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, has thus given its verdict, which the CEO of AS Monaco, Thiago Scuro, commented on in front of the media. 🎙️
Good evening Thiago. What are your feelings about the new format of the Champions League?
I think it is a good development, because it will allow clubs to face more opponents from different countries, and teams they’ve never faced before. There are teams of different levels too, so it is a good thing for the diversity of the competition and for the fans.
It definitely takes a bit of time to understand the draw, because the format changes a lot with these eight matches in the league phase and the play-off system. But I find it very interesting to discover all this.
ℹ️ New format. New draw.#UCLdraw | #UELdraw | #UECLdraw pic.twitter.com/QKTwVPMhQU
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 20, 2024
You will notably face Barcelona, Inter Milan, Arsenal… some very nice matches for your supporters!
That’s why we wanted to qualify for the Champions League (smile)! We are very happy to have the opportunity to welcome some of these clubs to Monaco and to travel to others.
But also to discover new opponents like Dinamo Zagreb (never faced before, editor’s note), and to see how the players who joined us this summer will play in this competition. In this league phase system, it is very important to take points, regardless of whether it is a home or away match and what the identity of the team we face is.
What do you expect from this Champions League campaign?
Our main goal is to reach the play-offs (play-offs between 9th and 24th place, editor’s note), and then we’ll see what happens. But we are really focused on this stage. I love this competition, which I have always followed from Brazil as a fan, and now that I am in Europe.
I personally had the chance to experience a few matches on site last season. It was incredible to see the passion that surrounds these European matches, and to feel the emotion that runs through the players and the public. So I am really happy to experience it in real life this year.
Le programme de @ChampionsLeague qui attend les Rouge & Blanc 🇪🇺👇 pic.twitter.com/bQysKWmfNA
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) August 29, 2024
Does facing big teams force you to progress even faster?
Obviously, it’s an opportunity for us to show our level. AS Monaco is a club that wants to make the Champions League a habit. Our challenge is therefore to be there again next year, to commentate on the draw together (smile). It must be natural for the Club to play in the Champions League every year.
Do you think it is a more attractive formula for the supporters?
For me it is! It is a possibility for them to see more very big matches, in addition to the fact that the League phase will be very intense to experience. Each point will count for a possible qualification, so yes I think it is a more exciting formula than the old one.
