Monaco took France and Europe by storm this season with many of their players grabbing the headlines and impressing on the biggest stage in club football. Stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Fabinho and Bernardo Silva have become sensations on the continent thanks to a great season where they reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and won the Ligue 1 title after a span of
Whilst some blazed their way to glory not everyone in Red and White got all the plaudits. Today. we look at five such Monaco players who are criminally underrated.
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#5 Jemerson
The Brazilian has only been with Monaco for just over a year and a half but that hasn’t stopped Jemerson from excelling in this side. His consistent performances throughout the campaign gave Monaco a solid pairing at the back alongside Kamil Glik.
Jemerson’s ability to read the game; put in some timely tackles and his intelligence to play in a back line that consists of some very offensive full backs helped Monaco to silverware. However, his dirty doesn’t always get noticed in a team that has been famed for their attacking outlook and one might say that he is currently one of the most underrated players not only in the Monaco side but in Ligue 1 as a whole.
His partnership with Glik and Danijel Subasic at the back allowed Djibril Sidibe and Benjamin Mendy to burst forward as they knew the trio at the back had it covered if the opposition managed to spring them on the counter attack.
#4 Valere Germain
You might not call him flashy but he won’t shy away from a few step overs either. A no non-sense man who rarely overreacts to tackles, Germain is a grafter and fans absolutely love him for it. The 27-year-old spent the 2015/16 season on loan at Nice where he bagged a handful of goals. Upon his return, this time around he proved to be a valuable asset during the business end of this past season.
His 10 goals in 36 Ligue 1 appearances meant that despite not being an automatic starter due to the form of Radamel Falcao and Kylian Mbappe, Germain still played a vital part in the title win.
His hard-working style alongside his honest play, cool finishing and great teamwork meant that Germain was the perfect striker to have in this situation. He never made a fuss about not starting but he made sure that when he did play, whether as a starter or a sub, he made an impact in the game.
#3 Joao Moutinho
One of the star signings from a few years ago, Moutinho has stayed loyal to Leonardo Jardim’s team and has helped sculpt this champions side with his play in midfield.
The Portuguese midfielder may only be 30 years old, but his experience at the highest level is key for the younger players in the Monaco squad and that showed this season. 31 Ligue 1 appearances and 11 in the Champions League, Moutinho helped those alongside him keep pushing on and get over the finishing line when it really mattered.
With new signings like Youri Tielemans coming in the door at Monaco, Moutinho’s role at the club will grow larger, with coach Jardim entrusting him with mentoring some of the younger stars and essentially being a role model for them.
#2 Kamil Glik
A tough tackler. A dirty player. A streetwise man. However you spin it, Kamil Glik is a beast of a defender. Signing from Torino for just under £10 million last summer, Glik soon became a vital player alongside Jemerson at the heart of a Monaco defence that was very attack minded.
Almost an ever present in domestic competitions, Glik’s 36 Ligue 1 appearances meant that Jardim could always count on the Polish international to be a rock for his side. Some striker didn’t take too kindly to Glik’s stern style, with Gonzalo Higuain taking exception in the semi-final of the Champions League in Turin where the Pole made sure Higuain knew he was in for a tough night.
Not many people cast their eyes towards Glik in this Monaco side because he isn’t as they say “good on the eyes”. He might not have the technical abilities of some of his other teammates but he has been just as important and just as effective.
#1 Daniel Subasic
The £1.28M that Monaco paid for Danijel Subasic in 2012 seems like a bargain now, with the Croatian international being one of Europe’s best goalkeepers this season.
21 clean sheets in all competitions and you could argue that without the Croat between the sticks this season, Monaco wouldn’t have finished as champions of France. His shot stopping ability and commanding of his area meant that not much got through him as he established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe’s top five leagues.
Along with Glik and Jemerson, Subasic is a testament that Monaco’s backline has largely been ignored by the majority of fans simply because their attacking stars have been so magical to watch. The 32-year-old is a huge factor as to why this team became as successful as it is, as his experience and talent held the Monaco side up well when it got sticky at the back.
