Geoffrey Kondogbia Praises Monaco’s Determination After Shock Win Over Arsenal
AS Monaco stunned Arsenal with a 3-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash, and midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia was not entirely surprised by the result.
Kondogbia, who has played a key role for Monaco this season with 5 Champions League appearances and 1 goal, expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform at the highest level. “We are not so much surprised by this victory because we knew our capabilities,” the 22-year-old said after the match. “We knew that if we did not play at 200%, we were not going to win this match. We prepared well, we were ready, and we knew that we had chances, even if they were minimal.”
Despite the tough opposition, Kondogbia and his teammates remained focused throughout, with the French midfielder admitting that while they knew they had quality in the squad, they hadn’t anticipated such a comprehensive win. “We stayed focused, we did not give up until the end, and that is what made the difference,” he said.
Kondogbia was instrumental in Monaco’s victory, dominating the midfield, recovering possession, and contributing to the scoreline. His all-around performance earned him the title of man of the match from Maxifoot, with a rating of 9/10.
With a commanding two-goal lead heading into the second leg, Monaco will look to finish the job in the return match at home, but the result has certainly put them in a strong position to progress to the next round of the Champions League.
