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Month: May 2022

Dmitry Rybolovlev reflects on ASM’s success

by: Luke Entwistle
23/05/2022

In the aftermath of AS Monaco’s draw against Lens, which secured Champions League play-off qualification but wasn’t sufficient to earn second place, owner Dmitry Rybolovlev praised the club’s fighting spirit.

Rybolovlev has attended the final two matches of Monaco’s season. Having overseen the Principality side’s incredible comeback against Brest last week, he made the trip to see the Red and Whites at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Saturday.

The owner also attended Thursday morning’s training session in La Turbie, accompanied by sporting director Paul Mitchell and technical director James Bunce. In a press release on Sunday, Rybolovlev spoke publicly about the club’s incredible end-of-season exploits. You can read his statement in full below:

“The cruel scenario of this final match must not make us forget the last episodes of the battle that we waged in Ligue 1.

At the end of a season that was marked by ups and downs, I would like to see us remember the fighting spirit shown by the players and the coaching staff.

The team went through difficult periods but did not give up. Instead, they went on an excellent unbeaten run and were rewarded for their effort with the club’s seventh podium finish since AS Monaco returned to Ligue 1 nine years ago.

During the season, our young team took part in both national and European competitions. I hope that the experience they gained will help our players deliver an even more mature and consistent performance next season.

It is with the will to continue to grow and progress, building on what has been put in place, that we will prepare for our next season.

Finally, I would like to thank our fans who, as always throughout the whole season, supported the team, both at home and away matches.

Daghe Munegu!”

 

 

Photo source: AS Monaco

 

 

 

AS Monaco seal Champions League qualification

by: Luke Entwistle
23/05/2022

Philippe Clement’s men secured their place on the bottom step of the Ligue 1 podium on Saturday, as a late Lens equaliser stole direct qualification to the Champion’s League group stages from their grasp.

Nonetheless, AS Monaco’s end to the season is an unquantifiable success. European football in any form would have certainly sufficed back in mid-March, whilst the Champions League looked like a pipe dream. The Principality side will now go through the qualifying rounds of the competition in order to seal a place in the group stage.

A victory for Lens could have earnt them Europa Conference qualification if other results went their way, and they certainly began the match like a team on a mission. Amidst a raucous atmosphere at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens struck the first blow.

A poor parry from Alexander Nübel was directed straight into the path of Przemyslaw Frankowski, who made no mistake with a rather simple finish. The home side, however, quickly began to wane, and Monaco grabbed a foothold in the match.

Benoit Badiashile restored parity before half-time, finishing from a corner at the second time of asking. Elsewhere, Marseille led at Strasbourg, meaning a victory was needed in order to retain the second spot that they held going into the final gameweek.

Lens struggled to wrestle control of the game back from the Monégasques, and it was a case of cometh the hour cometh the man as the unsilenceable Wissam Ben Yedder struck just after the hour mark.

From a well-worked counter-attack, Kevin Volland picked out his strike partner at the back-post, who headed home to turn the game on its head.

Rennes, meanwhile, were only drawing at Lille; this was now a two-horse race between Marseille and Monaco, both of whom were battling it out for the second place. Monaco simply had to hold on and the spoils would be theirs.

In a season that has been full of twists and turns, there was to be one more before the final whistle. Deep, deep into injury time, Lens whipped a free-kick into the box, chaos ensued and amongst all of that, Kevin Danso poked the ball into the path of Ignatius Ganago, who fired home to restore parity once again.

At the death, second place was snatched from Monaco’s grasp, but Clement’s men can still console themselves with having secured qualification to the play-offs of the Champions League, a feat that seemed impossible just weeks ago.

Clement articulated his thoughts on a match of mixed emotions: “The disappointment is huge, but above all, there is enormous pride for my players, my staff, our managers, and our supporters. This feeling of pride is much bigger because, in these last months, I have seen a team of winners… my players can be proud of themselves,” said the Belgian manager.

It was a bitter-sweet evening for Monaco, but the fact that the side can feel “disappointment” on a night where qualification to the Champions League was secured, is an unmistakable sign of how far this team has come in such a short period of time.

 

Photo source: AS Monaco

 

 

 

Monte-Carlo Casino dealers shine at European Championships

by: Stephanie Horsman
23/05/2022

The Casino de Monte-Carlo was the site for this year’s European Dealer Championships, where the crème de la crème of card dealers competed to be crowned the best in world. And Monaco’s young croupiers placed well.

After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, the 14th European Dealer Championships returned with a record number of participants, with this year being particularly notable as it was hosted at arguably the most famous casino in the world, the Casino de Monte-Carlo.

This year, 40 dealers were selected on a national level to compete in a contest involving technical skill, quick thinking, control of the game, hospitality skills and nerves of steel.  They proved their prowess in two of the most popular of all casino card games, Black Jack and American Roulette.

In addition to the specialities needed from above, the dealers also competed in disciplines that should be mastered by all dealers, such as chipping, card handling, cutting chips, pushing stacks, maths and picture bets.

“We are delighted and proud to welcome the European Dealer Championship, organised by the European Casino Association, at the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo,” said Jean-Luc Biamonti, CEO Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer. “The History of Monaco is intimately linked to gambling and the Casino de Monte- Carlo, with its unique vision, its excellence and savoir-faire, and strives relentlessly for the success and legacy of the casino activity in Europe. The dealer plays a major role in this vision: being discreet and efficient, the excellence of their gestures and their role with the client is key to convey the Principality’s Great Art of Gaming.”

Photo front row eft to right: SBM Casino Director Pascal Camia, participant Christopher Subtil Conceicao, SBM CEO Jean-Luc Biamonti, participant Noémie Serra, and Rudy Tarditi, General Director Casino de Monte-Carlo. Photo courtesy Monte-Carlo SBM

The contestants, who came from 22 nations, including the UK, France, Sweden, Luxembourg, Estonia, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland and of course Monaco, were judged by 36 jury members and cheered on by a crowd estimated to be in the hundreds.

There were 10 women competing this year, including 26-year-old Noémie Serra, representing Monaco alongside Christopher Subtil Conceicao. Ms Serra was awarded the prize for Best Chip Cutting and Mr Subtil Conceicao was selected as Best Card Handler.

In a press release, the SBM noted that, “the performances of Noémie Serra and Christopher Subtil Conceicao are all the more important as they were both amongst the youngest croupiers participating in the European Dealer Championship. Young but perfectly experienced in techniques through their training at the Monaco Games School. This one-of-a-kind school is based on transmission from generation to generation, keys to excellence since 1863, and continuously enriching it with international best practices. Noémie Serra joined the games school in 2018 and Christopher Subtil Conceicao in 2019.”

The winner of the best dealer overall was Christoph Boo, from the Casino in Zurich, Switzerland. In second place was Daniel Rhodes to the Hippodrome in London, and the bronze went to Zoltan Horvath from Casino Györ in Hungary. Monaco’s two representatives placed well with Neomie Serra just off the podium in fourth place and Christopher Subtil Conceicao is sixth.

The tournament took place in the Salle Medecin of the Casino from the 16th to 18th of May, with the prize-giving ceremony taking place at the Hotel Hermitage, the same locale the contestants met at to welcome them to the event.

“Casinos are part of Europe’s rich cultural heritage, said P. Jaldung, Chairman of the European Casino Association. “All of us understand the very special and unique entertainment we offer our guests – the social and emotional connection that binds our industry together. Casino guests enjoy not only the service and thrill of the game but also the professionalism of their hosts, the dealers. The job of a dealer requires social skills, concentration and manual dexterity. Keeping a gaming table under control on a busy evening is an art – and now the greatest artists have gathered in Monaco.”

 

Photos courtesy Monte-Carlo SBM

 

 

 

 

Trust your senses at Equivoque

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/05/2022

Discover Monaco’s first perfume cocktail list at the new Equivoque rooftop bar, where aroma and flavour are married in an elaborate and interactive menu. Here’s how it works.

With its location on avenue d’Ostende, the Miramar Hotel offers incredible views of the harbour, the glistening Mediterranean Sea, and the plethora of luxury superyachts that it houses.

Above this nautical-themed boutique hotel sits a unique bar experience, recently launched and never seen before in Monaco, but one that has been trending around the world.

“We don’t put the ingredients on the cocktail menu, only the aroma, because we want the guests to choose the cocktail based only on the emotion that they are experiencing at the very moment they smell the perfume,” says Antonio.

Given the strong link between the senses of smell and taste, the concept is novel, but not altogether surprising.

Perfumes are made up of head notes, heart notes, and base notes, just as cocktails are made up of different, identifiable parts.

At Equivoque, guests are presented with a box of aromas that have been specially crafted by experts in the perfume capital of the world.

“The perfumer in Grasse made for us six different fragrances, and each fragrance is like one of our cocktails,” adds Antonio as he sprays an aroma onto a scent strip and asks us what we think.

Photo by Monaco Life

Each fragrance has its own unique smell and personality: some are sweeter than others, some have an obvious almond or aniseed note, others a crisper, cleaner finish. Everything that we identify is explained by the charismatic Antonio.

Based on our favourite, we are presented with a cocktail. I am thrilled to find mine mimics a Manhattan, one of my all-time go-to drinks.

But not only are smell and taste heightened at Equivoque, the sense of sight is also elevated as mixologists present the cocktails with imagination and flair. For example, mine is presented in a glass shoe, the smoke flavouring the alcohol as he swirls the glass and pours it into my cocktail coup from a height. The drink itself is well balanced with the bitter tones that I had enjoyed in the aroma.

I wonder if I would choose the same next time.

“The scent can change depending on the day, your mood, your memories,” explains Antonio.

While the rooftop bar was inaugurated only recently, the hotel itself has been open since August 2021.

After a four-year full renovation, the long-standing Miramar has been given a new life with 14 rooms inspired by the marine world, offering guests to Monaco a much-needed boutique alternative.

“In most big cities, there is often a boutique hotel or a modern city hotel that has affordable rates for people who need to come for two to three nights, but who still expect a decent quality and an individual approach and stylish design,” says owner Gleb Tskhovrebov.

“Sure, other hotels offer more services than us, but they are all the same. This is refreshing, stylish and more personal.”

Equivoque is open from Tuesday to Saturday. In addition to cocktails, the terrace bar offers raw fish dishes and gourmet bruschetta.

See more of Equivoque in our Instagram videos below…

 

Feature photo of Gleb Tskhovrebov by Monaco Life

 

 

Stade Louis II: AS Monaco’s home fortress

by: Luke Entwistle
21/05/2022

In recent times, AS Monaco have boasted the second-best home record in the French top flight, yet the club still endeavour to solidify their fortress and make it a more daunting prospect for their opposition.

Since early September, Monaco have lost only once at the Stade Louis II. In that time, they have amassed 15 wins and five draws in all competitions, a record only bettered by French Champions PSG.

Victories in their last five home matches in Ligue 1 have also propelled them to the brink of Champions League football next season. Attaining a step on that podium, whilst an incredible achievement in itself, especially given the context of their often fluctuating season, also contributes to a larger, more long-term objective of manager Philippe Clement.

“One of my objectives is to have even more fans in the stadium to support the players and create a big atmosphere,” Clement told Monaco Life. Although few things are more attractive for fans than the prospect of playing Europe’s elite, a guarantee should Monaco qualify for the Champions League this weekend, Clement is also focused on his side’s style of play.

“It’s up to us as well to play a style of football that pleases all of the supporters who come to the match and to also obtain good results. When you do that with an offensive style and you win lots of matches, there will always be more supporters,” said Clement.

Currently, Monaco average the lowest attendance in Ligue 1, although that doesn’t necessarily have a bearing on the atmosphere inside the ground as Clement found out. “When we’re at home, the supporters are behind us. The stadium isn’t yet full and that is one of the goals, for everyone here, for the players and the staff, to have more supporters in the stadium, but the supporters that are there are all highly engaged with the club,” he said.

The former Club Brugge manager added, “The stadium has a more heated atmosphere than I thought before coming here.” The players themselves also feel that atmosphere on the pitch, as defender Benoît Badiashile revealed: “It’s really pleasant to play here. At the Stade Louis II, we want to show that we’re at home and that the opposition won’t have chances to win.”

The French U21 international continued, “Having come through the ranks at the club, it’s really an honour to play at the stadium.”

Although Monaco have constructed an almost impenetrable bastion this season, the club clearly see increasing attendance as a way of shoring up their defences. Whilst proposing an attractive style of play will certainly entice more fans to flock to the Stade Louis II, Champions League qualification will provide the key to unlocking the stadium’s potential. Few things rival the fervour of those European nights under those iconic Monaco arches.

 

 

Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

When the astronaut met the movie star

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/05/2022

Monaco’s Shibuya Productions invited a special guest to the premier screening of Top Gun: Maverick at Cannes, fulfilling French astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s lifelong dream of meeting his film hero Tom Cruise.

Whilst many people are huge admirers of astronauts, astronauts need someone to admire as well. In the case of French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, he was able to realise his dream of meeting his own screen idol, Tom Cruise, in a place no less than on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival.

Thomas Pesquet has been in the news quite a bit recently as part of a crew who in April 2021 boarded the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month stint. It was a notable journey in that he was transported there on the Space Systems International Space X Crew Dragon, a partially reusable spacecraft, marking the new way space travel is heading.

The astronaut’s turn on the red carpet was thanks to an invitation from Monaco-based video games company, Shibuya Productions, who it is rumoured will be working on a project together. Rumours also abound about a possible collaboration between Pesquet and Cruise, who is scheduled to head into space and go aboard the ISS in preparation for a new film he will be shooting with director Doug Liman.

The evening was topped off by Cruise landing by helicopter to the site, and a passage of the Patrouille de France, the precision aerobatics demonstration unit of the French Air and Space Force, over the Palais des Festivals.

 

 

Photo: Cedric Biscay and Thomas Pesquet at Cannes 2022, photo by Shibuya Productions