ENTRETIEN EXCLUSIF AVEC RADAMEL FALCAO - AS MONACO

Radamel Falcao forward player of AS Monaco from 2013 to 2019 We begin Well for me it has been more than just an important club in my life But rather a place where I was always given all the support love and I felt very loved This is where my first son Dominic and my first daughter were born And I also have another daughter who was born in Monaco so it's a place I will never forget Monaco means a lot to me and my entire family and we have a huge affection for it Because I believe that nowhere else did they love me support me and protect me like they did there Well I had the chance to visit Monaco in 2013 and that's where we met Dimitri He conveyed to me the goal of forming an important strong team to be able to enter Europe and compete in the Champions League Well I found that idea very interesting They wanted me to lead the project and I think it was something I was looking for at that time Well in the first season we brought in very important players I think Dimitri made a huge effort to bring these players in And put Monaco where it rightfully belonged We had almost all the equipment were new we didn't know each other there were also many young people There was some nervousness during the pre-season but then after we won our first game in Bordeaux Then the team gained confidence the level of play increased and were painting a picture of fighting for the title against Paris I was in the middle of the season when I suffered an unfortunate injury that kept me from participating in the tournament But I think Monaco managed to quickly achieve the goal of returning to the Champions League for their first season in a process that is usually longer Well there's no doubt in my mind I think it was the best moment for me I think in some way we contributed to the eyes of the football world They were set in Monaco at that time there was a lot of anticipation and with the arrival of all the players who came in 2013 They came from different parts of the world to follow their footballers In Colombia we are 50 million people and practically with the arrival of James and mine Well the whole country turned to support Monaco to cheer for or to be a fan of FC Monaco and I really think we helped To help the team grow in that area of communication marketing and become more well-known worldwide Well I missed winning the Champions League were very close in 2017 but I think with a very young team perhaps most of the players were not at the peak of their careers or footballing abilities We have come very far in a competition where the strongest teams usually have been playing together for many years And where experience makes a big difference well with that youth and with each player's great ability were able to reach the Champions' semifinals It seems to me that at that moment no one was betting on Monaco to win the league or even to reach the stage we achieved in the Champions League and it was simply in August when were going to play against I think it was Fenerbahce the first leg of the Champions To classify Champions because I told them there was an impressive group a quality that perhaps weren't aware we had But there it was and we just needed to work as a team be supportive I think in February it was very important In February or January we played against Anis al Derby at home And there I think we started to get close or pass them In February we also played the quarterfinals against City We put in an impressive performance in Manchester we didn't manage to win but we realized we had played evenly against them on their home ground And perhaps they had beaten us due to greater experience And then we beat them at home and from there in the League we started to be I don't know if we moved to Liza or if we tied and that's when we realized the team had remained very strong and solid for four months of the season And there we had already arrived alive to the final straightaway and that were strong candidates And a wonderful working group we all got along well the technical staff also knew how to handle this type of players and the team ended up greatly strengthening itself and achieving an impressive individual and collective performance that surprised all of Europe And in the end the victories just carry you because it was a victory every three days and the momentum of winning winning winning just carries you along That night was very special I had gone through very difficult times from the injury He had gone through difficult periods he hadn't had much continuity and I knew he was in top condition to keep playing at the highest level And be able to enjoy this with my family with my children it was the first time they saw us celebrate a title my daughters And my father was also there who is no longer with us and to live through all those emotions with them is unforgettable I think they are the most beautiful memories I have from my sports career I really enjoyed it and it was a great victory for me beyond winning the title We are very grateful to Dimitri to Vadim at the time to Ole and to all the people who worked at the club and have passed through the club and especially for the fans and the people who live in the city