This interview was conducted in French by Eurosport France’s Julien Pereira and has been adapted for TNT Sports UK by Pete Sharland.
Recently, many have been questioning the level of Ligue 1 compared to the other four major leagues. You’re well-placed to speak on this since you’ve played in three of them. Does Ligue 1 deserve its place among the elite?
Denis Zakaria: For me, yes, absolutely. There’s a lot of quality. Ligue 1 is widely underestimated. I’ve noticed this since the beginning of the season; it’s really not easy. All the matches are highly contested, and there’s undeniably a lot of talent.
What aspect of it surprised you the most?
DZ: The intensity, first and foremost. Many players are very physical. Winning duels here is never straightforward. These are aspects that might not be very visible, but they’re very real.
Let’s talk about you. Why did you choose Monaco last summer?
DZ: It’s the club that showed the most interest. I felt it was the team that could help me the most personally. I also believed I could contribute something to this team. So, it was an obvious choice for me.
What role did your coach, Adi Hutter, with whom you have a special relationship, play?
DZ: Even before his arrival and before I knew he would become the coach of AS Monaco, I was already in contact with him. Knowing a coach with whom I had a good relationship makes things easier. It further reinforced my desire to join Monaco.
What do you appreciate the most about him?
DZ: He’s an excellent coach, as his career demonstrates. This is my third time working with him, and it has always gone well. He knows how to manage players and communicate with them. I also really appreciate his style of play. These are aspects I particularly like, and I’m probably not the only one.
Monaco’s Swiss midfielder #06 Denis Zakaria celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between OGC Nice and AS Monaco at the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, south-eastern France, on February 11, 2024.
Image credit: Getty Images
What do you like the most about your role as a defensive midfielder?
DZ: I appreciate both the defensive and offensive aspects. If I can contribute defensively in a crucial moment and then our team scores, I’m fulfilled. But if I’m the one who scores, I’m also very happy. I love all the facets of this position that require being complete. I’m quite versatile, and I strive to do my best.
You’re one of the players with the highest successful dribble rate in Ligue 1. Is that an area of the game you enjoy?
DZ: I really enjoy it. Beating a player, helping to advance the team with the ball… I wasn’t aware of this statistic though I must say, but I’m delighted to learn it.
What aspect do you think you need to progress the most in?
DZ: The cards, I would say (he smiles). I’ve received quite a few [eight yellow cards which is joint-second most in Ligue 1 as well as one red card].
It’s not easy, especially coming from England where it’s a bit different. There’s an adaptation period. It’s up to me to manage better and learn to control my nerves.
Monaco’s players (from L) Monaco’s German defender #14 Ismail Jakobs, Monaco’s Swiss midfielder #06 Denis Zakaria and Monaco’s Ghanaian defender #22 Mohammed Salisu celebrate winning the French L1 football match between Rennes (Stade Rennais) and Monaco (
Image credit: Getty Images
Is that also the difference between the Premier League and Ligue 1?
DZ: We all know the style of English referees. They let the game flow a bit more. Here, maybe it’s less so. But I’m not complaining about the refereeing. Everyone does their job as best they can.
You’ve often been disrupted by injuries throughout your career. This season, you’ve been spared. Has anything changed in your preparation?
DZ: Not really. I had a major [knee] injury [in 2020], which can happen. But it’s always difficult to come back from that. I worked hard. I also had other physical issues, maybe because the body compensates in one way or another. I’ve been able to play a full season so far, and that helps me a lot. When you play every match, the body follows more easily.
You have said that you admired Paul Pogba a lot when you were young. To what extent did he inspire you to shape your game?
DZ: I think every midfielder admired Paul Pogba in his prime. He’s a player of great quality. I had the chance to play with him at Juve. He’s not only an excellent player but also a very nice person. We all know his qualities, and when you’re a midfielder, you want to succeed in doing what he did.
At Monaco, there’s a lot of offensive firepower with Ben Yedder, Balogun, Golovin, Minamino, Akliouche… Who impresses you the most on a daily basis?
DZ: I could mention all of them… There’s a lot of talent. But honestly, there are so many players, including young ones, who are very strong… I couldn’t single one out in particular. We’re very lucky to have them all.
How do you explain Folarin Balogun’s inconsistent performances?
DZ: He’s an important player for us. When a striker doesn’t score for a few matches, we tend to criticise him a bit. He’s helped us a lot in many matches, especially against Lens. Even if he hasn’t always been as efficient as he can be, he’s a great goalscorer and a great guy. I have no doubt he’ll score a lot of goals for AS Monaco.
Lately, it feels like Monaco is constantly on the edge, and it only takes a little for the situation to tip one way or the other. How do you explain that?
DZ: It’s hard to explain. A season is long, and at the beginning, nobody had that feeling. Everyone appreciated AS Monaco’s style of play. However, when a team starts as well as we did this season, opponents eventually adapt. That makes things more complicated for us. We have to work hard to be more consistent.
