Ligue 1: everything you need to know before the AS Monaco-Lille match this Friday evening

Adi Hütter had another idea in mind, but the injury to Folarin Balogun, hit in the shoulder in Rennes (1-2) before the break, and on the side for about two months, forced the Austrian to rework his plans. While he cautiously incorporated George Ilenikhena, asking for patience despite the winning goal scored by the Franco-Nigerian, mid-September during the 1^re day of the Champions League against Barcelona (2-1), the Monegasque coach will have to accelerate the integration of the striker purchased for 18.8 million this summer.

Zakaria and Salisu took him under their wings

Breel Embolo having played more than 80 minutes in the two Nations League matches played by Switzerland during the break, the 18-year-old striker holds the rope to start this evening against LOSC. Even if Hütter judges Minamino capable of playing No.9.

Happy to be part of the rotation operated by his coach since the start of the season, what ASM had sold to him to attract him, the 1.85 m left-hander hopes to help his club keep control of the championship.

On a daily basis, he draws advice from his big brothers Zakaria and Salisu. As he did with Vincent Janssen in Antwerp, where Monaco recruited him. Despite the competition between the two men, he benefited from the goodwill of the Dutch international, as well as that of the French goalkeeper Jean Butez.

This spotlight does not worry those close to him, since the boy “exudes great confidence in himself.” et “handles pressure very well” according to them. Although ambitious and sure of his strength, the center forward revealed in Amiens in L2 in 2023 remains attentive. This summer, he opted for Monaco despite telephone interviews with three renowned European coaches. Described as “well educated”Ilenikhena does not forget where he comes from, his childhood in a modest environment and a family of five children. His family still lives in Antony (Hauts-de-Seine) where he arrived from Nigeria at the age of 3. “In September, during the winter break, he brought his little brother to beginners’ training on a Saturday morning. I’m proud of the man he’s becoming.”illustrates Jean-Patrick Seguido, the president of the Ile-de-France club.

His goal against Barcelona gave him momentum, but no certainty. The boy knows that the road is still long. “He can still improve physically, despite his power, expose Hütter. Sometimes he can protect and keep the ball better. We also need him to have the right movements, which we have worked on a lot over the last fortnight. I hope it comes as quickly as possible.”

Installed alone in his apartment for a few days, on the Côte d’Azur where his mother visits him regularly, he recently called on a cook to optimize his nutrition. He has also been working with a personal physical preparation and video analyst for two years.

Technical and defensive progress

Anxious to play with the French team in the future, despite recent requests from Nigeria, while he hopes for progress in his sporting naturalization file in early 2025, this fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mbappé, homebody and fan of video games FIFA knows that it must erase certain shortcomings. HAS Antwerp, his coach Mark Van Bommel took him to a new level in pressing, in the placement of his body and his arms to obtain fouls. “He worked hard on the defensive aspect. Van Bommel was very demanding of him. Between September and May, George was no longer the same player. He’s taking steps.”whispers Seguido, about defensive tasks which are not natural for him, but which he is taking on little by little. “As soon as the offensive action ended, he disconnected from the team.”remembers John Devignon, his coach in U17 Nationals in Amiens, where he scored 24 goals in 2021-2022, when he was only U16.

To support him in his progress, the ASM performance unit rebalances his muscles. “On the quadriceps and ischios, he was perhaps stronger on the left than on the right”develops a loved one, for whom he can perfect his “head game”son “right foot” and sometimes show moreself-centered” facing the goal.

Scorer “d’instinct”homme “endearing” with “gestures that others do not have” dixit Devignon, who has not forgotten his special – “his left pivot shot in one touch” – or a distant goal scored in Lens when his coach had not “didn’t see the advanced goalkeeper”the current regional technical advisor of the Ligue d’Occitanie salutes a player capable of quickly applying instructions and making progress on a technical level, he who started football at the age of 10, late in life. “His intentions were good, but he wasn’t always very clean with his ball catches, his first or second touchhe confides. He could have the wrong foot surface. çThis happens less to him, but we can still wait for him in this aspect.”

Author of a goal and an assist in nine games this season, the youngest French scorer in the Champions League (18 years and 34 days) knows how to boost his stats.

The probable compositions

At the state’

10

Ilenikhena has scored 10 of his 17 professional goals coming off the bench, for a total of 76 matches played.