Thierry Henry says it will be an honour to pit wits against Diego Simeone as Monaco prepare to face Atletico Madrid as his side try to ensure they will still have European football to play in 2019.
A 4-0 defeat to Club Brugge eliminated 2017 semi-finalists Monaco from the Champions League but they can still reach the Europa League by finishing third in Group A – though to do so they need at least four points from games against Atletico and Borussia Dortmund.
Henry has endured a tough start to his managerial career after being appointed as Leonardo Jardim’s successor but the 41-year-old did at least end a winless run dating back to August 11 on Saturday when his side won 1-0 at fellow Ligue 1 strugglers Caen.
A trip to the Wanda Metropolitana to face Simeone’s side poses a far greater challenge but Henry, who is without nine players including first-choice goalkeeper Danijel Subasic and centre-back Kamil Glik, is relishing the test.
“He's one of the best coaches around at the moment,” Henry said of Simeone. “It's an honour to come up against him. I have a lot to learn.
“I've been studying Atletico for a long time – I know what we need to watch out for and which players can make the difference. We know they never give up and have fantastic supporters.
“There's a slim chance of getting into the Europa League, but it'll be tough. We're playing with young players. We're not scared.”
Monaco will be led out in Madrid by captain Radamel Falcao, whose superb free-kick earned them a much-needed win at Caen over the weekend.
Returning to Atletico will be an emotional moment for Falcao, who established himself as one of world football’s deadliest strikers in two years with Los Rojiblancos where he won the Europa League and Copa de Rey.
“I'll always have the moments and memories from here,” the Colombian striker said. “Meeting the fans and the club again will bring lots of emotions.
"Since the start of the season, we haven't had all our players available. The coach has had to rely on young players and academy players. Our role as more experienced players is to trust in them so that they can give 100 per cent for the team.
