Saturday morning dawned clear and cool, the kind of pristine autumn day that seemed made for football. At the Stade Louis II, ground staff were already at work—marking lines, testing the surface, and preparing the stage for Monaco's return to league action.
In the team hotel's meeting room, Demien concluded the final tactical briefing before the players dispersed for pre-match meals and mental preparation. The starting eleven had been confirmed the previous evening, balancing the reintegration of internationals with the need for tactical cohesion.
"Auxerre will defend deep and compact," he reminded them, pointing to their expected 4-5-1 formation on the tactical board. "They'll try to frustrate us and counter through Lachuer and Kahlenberg. Our response must be control—tempo, space, emotion. We need to keep everything under our control."
