When Monaco appointed Philippe Clement to replace Niko Kovac in January 2022, they shifted from one extreme to another. The soft management approach taken by Clement came as a stark contrast to the military style regime that had been imposed by Kovac. Ultimately, neither approach worked so the club turned to Adi Hütter last summer. The Austrian’s style – not too harsh, not too soft – has proven right for this talented and youthful side, which he has now led back to the Champions League. “Monaco belong in the Champions League,” said sporting director Thiago Scuro, but the club has not competed in the group stage of the competition since 2018. Third place has proven a false dawn for Ligue 1 sides in recent seasons – Monaco failed to win two successive Champions League playoffs and then Marseille befell the same fate at the start of this campaign, dropping into the Europa League. Those playoff defeats left Monaco physically diminished, with the toll of returning to pre-season early showing come the final games of last season. When Clement left the Stade Louis II last summer he was exhausted and his shattered team had missed out on European football entirely after they finished the season with a run of just one win in their final seven games. The club hit the reset button. Having “completed his mission” at the club, Paul Mitchell departed – albeit not immediately – and nominated Scuro as his replacement. It was a shared decision to appoint Hütter and it is one that has guided the club back to the top table of European football. Hütter has prioritised “fun” since taking over at Monaco. “I like an exciting 5-2 more than a boring 1-0,” he has said of his style. “Football is also a show. I prefer inspiring football.” His approach, certainly not shared by all of his counterparts in Ligue 1, has led to some entertaining football this season. Only PSG have scored more goals in Ligue 1 than Monaco; although, the downside is that their defensive record is by far the worst of any side in the top six. The defence has improved in recent weeks, stimulated by one of Hütter’s big decisions. Since arriving at the club last summer, the goalkeeper Philipp Köhn had failed to fully convince. “He brought us doubts,” admitted Hütter, who dropped the Swiss goalkeeper after his error against Toulouse in mid-February and brought in Radoslaw Majecki as a replacement. Köhn kept just five clean sheets in his 22 league appearances; Majecki, who spent last season on loan at satellite club Cercle Brugge, has already kept six in 11 games. Gianluigi Donnarumma is the only keeper in France’s top flight with a better save percentage than the young Poland international. “This is one of the decisions that Adi made this season that moved us in the right direction,” said Scuro. “Majecki has been very important in the second part of the season with his saves and his performances.” The manager has not shied away from making big calls. “When I have a feeling, I act on it,” said Hütter, who also removed Folarin Balogun from penalty-taking duties after the former Arsenal forward missed his fourth spot-kick of the season against Lens in February. Crucially, these decisions have not proven divisive and Hütter has continued to foster a sense of unity in the dressing room. “He has a way of dealing with the players, by being very transparent and by being close to them – this helps a lot,” said Scuro. “It allows him to build respect with the players and convince them of his ideas.” This style – not too soft, not too harsh – has brought the best out of this Monaco squad, notably Youssouf Fofana, who will go to the Euros this summer in the form of his life. “I understand his potential,” said Hütter. “At times, I wasn’t happy with his performances but we were always aligned. We are both honest and that helps both of us. We have a great relationship and I am really happy with his performances for the team.” The France international, meanwhile, has admitted that he needed some tough love to reach his potential. Fofana scored Monaco’s second goal in their 2-0 win over Montpellier on Sunday, a result that ensures the club will finish second in Ligue 1 this season. The academy product Maghnes Akliouche set up that goal. It has been a breakthrough season for Akliouche and a few other young players at the club, with Hütter playing a key role in their development. The manager’s ability to keep players’ feet on the ground was praised by Fofana after Monaco beat Lille last month, a result that all but sealed Champions League qualification. “He quickly brought us back down to earth in the dressing room,” said Fofana. “We don’t fear euphoria but, if we can avoid it, with the young players that we have, that would be a good thing.” Hütter has managed to keep control of the dressing room while making some potentially divisive decisions and helping Monaco achieve their objective with one game to spare. “I am very happy with this first season and we are now motivated to build a second season just as strong – maybe stronger,” said Scuro. The Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev is exploring the idea of selling the club. Now he has the allure of Champions League football to take this project to the next level. Talking points The worst kept secret in world football came out on Friday, when Kylian Mbappé announced his departure from PSG. It was a timely announcement and one designed to provide clarity before his last game as a PSG player at the Parc des Princes. If Mbappé was expecting a unanimously positive reception, he was mistaken. He was booed when his name was announced over the loud speaker but minutes later, he was being honoured with rapturous applause and a large tifo from the CUP ultra group. The club itself, seemingly without any forewarning of Mbappé’s announcement, has not planned a tribute for the forward, who has spent seven years at the club. In what was a strange atmosphere, marked by the trophy-lifting ceremony, a tribute to retiring speaker Michel Montana but also a lethargic 3-1 defeat to Toulouse, Mbappé’s departure did not take centre stage. While Manchester United were dealt another blow in their hunt for European football next season, Nice – the other club owned by Ineos – secured their ticket. They are guaranteed to finish fifth or higher after a 1-0 win over Le Havre, meaning that they will compete in the Europa League – or better – next season. There was a deluge at Old Trafford on Sunday and there is perhaps a storm brewing in Nice too. Despite European qualification, an unwanted revolution may be afoot with sporting director Florent Ghisolfi, manager Francesco Farioli and the two major stars of the team, Khéphren Thuram and Jean-Clair Todibo, all touted to leave amid interest from elsewhere. All four have been crucial in bringing European football back to the Allianz Riviera but at what cost? The foundations of the club look set to be shaken once again. Clermont Foot’s relegation back to Ligue 2 was finally confirmed after a 1-0 loss against Lyon. The club’s stadium, currently in the midst of a significant re-construction, is a visual metaphor for Clermont. Sébastien Bichard, who has been working with current manager Pascal Gastien since March, will take the reins at the club next season and, with the stadium in the process of a significant expansion and modernisation, Clermont are re-building. That re-construction will take place in Ligue 2.