AS Monaco swept aside Mediterranean rivals Marseille (3-0) to take Adi Hütter’s men up to second and bolster their Champions League ambitions.
In football terms, this was a proper six-pointer between two sides desperate to secure Champions League football for next season. It certainly showed in a cagey first half; the desire to not lose seemed to outweigh the desire to win for both sides.
OM were the more ambitious in the opening exchanges with Englishman Jonathan Rowe making some dangerous runs in behind but they couldn’t work goalkeeper Philipp Köhn, who retained the No.1 jersey despite an error-strewn display in last weekend’s defeat to Brest.
Monaco broke the monotony of a midfield chess match, low on quality, with the first goal just after the half-hour mark. It was the first real chance of the day as Mike Biereth latched onto a ball in behind, forcing Geronimo Rulli into two close-range saves. The second save rebounded to Denis Zakaria, who teed up Takumi Minamino to curl into the empty net.
Rulli keeps Marseille in the game
The Principality club were lucky to go in to half-time ahead, however. With the break approaching, Ulisses García flashed a cross to the back post, finding Luis Henrique, who with the whole goal to aim for, volleyed wide of the far post.
A switch was flicked at half-time as Monaco came out with more intensity and more ambition, looking to kill the game as a contest. It was only Rulli who denied them. Breel Embolo forced the Argentine into two strong saves but it was one from Maghnes Akliouche moments that capped a determined goalkeeping performance, despite the scoreline.
Akliouche’s close-range volley was kept out by Rulli’s strong left hand but he couldn’t deny Embolo seconds later. The Swiss international was on the limit of offside but was the right side of fine margins as he tucked home from Vanderson’s through ball.
“Miraculous” Köhn saves the day for Monaco
But Köhn was also decisive, repaying the faith paid by Hütter. Amine Gouiri came on and scored at the Stade Louis II earlier this season when he was playing for Rennes. Now at Marseille, he almost repeated the feat, drifting off the left, as he did earlier in the campaign, but this time, he could not find the finish, Köhn instead pulling off what OM manager Roberto De Zerbi described as a “miraculous” fingertip save.
Thereafter, Monaco had their opponent at arm’s-length before Rulli inadvertently hauled down Embolo in the box. Denis Zakaria stepped up and emphatically took the penalty that struck the underside of the bar on the way in. Both sides had chances to add to the scoreline but it finished 3-0 as Monaco make an important step towards Champions League qualification.
“It is a big win for us this evening. 3-0 against Marseille is a statement, even if the score was a bit flattering, in my opinion,” admitted Hütter post-match, who was full of praise for Köhn.
“The gap between the other teams is really tight” – Hütter
“He bounced back well and saved us in some dangerous situations. We talk about the one big mistake (against Brest) but he also saved us against Gouiri and and a really big second save too (against Adrien Rabiot late on). He did well and felt the support from our side,” added the Monaco manager.
Monaco are in now in second, behind crowned champions PSG, however, Hütter isn’t getting ahead of himself with just five games remaining. “The next game is against a really good team in Strasbourg. The gap between the other teams is really tight. We have to enjoy the win tonight,” he said.
The win, at home to another local rival to add to the one against OGC Nice a fortnight ago, will be savoured but big challenges await this Monaco side with the end of the season approaching.
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Photo credit: AS Monaco
Exclusive interview with Flavio Briatore: Global entrepreneur, F1 icon and Monaco’s Goodwill Ambassador
On Friday 4th April, the Monaco Ambassadors Club awarded Flavio Briatore the title of Goodwill Ambassador for 2025, celebrating his influence in elevating the Principality’s profile worldwide. The recognition is the latest in a long line of achievements for the Italian entrepreneur, who has built a career that bridges the worlds of Formula One, luxury hospitality and international business.
“It’s truly an honour,” Flavio Briatore said in an exclusive interview with Monaco Life’s Cassandra Tanti. “I’ve been living in Monaco for 15 years now, and I can honestly say it feels like home. While I spend a lot of time abroad on business, my son goes to school here and many of my businesses are based in the Principality.”
With its world-class culinary scene, international connectivity and year-round sunshine, Monaco continues to offer what Briatore calls “an exceptional quality of life”, making it the ideal base for his personal and professional life. As he puts it simply: “It is a paradise.”
Prince Albert II with Flavio Briatore with wife Elisabetta Gregoraci. Photo source: Monaco Ambassadors Club
Hospitality as a lifestyle
After securing seven Formula One world championships with Benetton and Renault, managing drivers such as Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, Briatore shifted gears in the mid-2000s to focuss on the lifestyle and hospitality sector.
“When I stepped away from Formula One 15 years ago, I found myself drawn to hospitality – it’s something that had always interested me,” he said. “It’s a complex industry, but also incredibly exciting. You meet fascinating people, it becomes a lifestyle, and above all, it’s fun.”
Briatore was one of the first to identify Monaco as a gap in the luxury dining market. He brought global brands such as Cipriani to the Principality when international brand names were still a rarity. From there, he built his Majestas Group into a formidable hospitality empire, launching venues like Twiga, Billionaire, the two Cova cafés and Crazy Pizza.
Majestas Group now employs around 900 people across the globe, and Briatore says that sense of responsibility is one of his proudest accomplishments.
“In this industry, the staff aren’t just employees – they’re partners,” he said on his secret to success. “The people working in our restaurants are part of the identity of each place. Choosing the right team, supporting them and maintaining high standards – especially in food quality and service – are essential.”
From village roots to global reach
Born in the small northern Italian village of Verzuolo, Briatore is keenly aware of the extraordinary path that led him to global recognition.
“People often say my journey isn’t typical – but that’s part of what makes it meaningful,” he said. “I come from a small village, and now I have the opportunity to create jobs around the world. That’s a great feeling.”
Following the sale of the Twiga brand to fellow Italian businessman Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, Briatore has sharpened his focus on scaling Crazy Pizza, the fastest-growing brand in his portfolio.
“We already have around 30 Crazy Pizza locations worldwide, and our goal is to grow that to 40 or even 50,” he said. “We just opened our first Crazy Pizza in New York, and it’s been phenomenal – there’s a queue outside every single day. The brand has huge potential, and we’re continuing to invest, particularly in the U.S. and Dubai.”
“If I was going to return to Formula One, it had to be in a leadership position – there was no other option for me.”
A commanding return to Formula One
While Briatore has found enduring success in hospitality, the call of the Formula One paddock proved impossible to ignore. In 2022, he returned to the sport as an F1 ambassador and, in 2024, assumed leadership of the Alpine team.
“I report to Renault’s CEO Luca de Meo, who put me in charge. That was the only role I was willing to accept,” he said. “If I was going to return to Formula One, it had to be in a leadership position – there was no other option for me.”
He has since implemented a new management structure at Alpine and outlined a clear ambition: to make the team championship contenders again by 2027.
“We’re bringing in people who are passionate about Formula One and committed to building a winning team,” he said. “2026 will be the first year you’ll really start to see the results of our efforts, particularly as we’ll finally have the same engine as the other teams, which is very important for us.”
The new face of F1
Briatore has watched the sport evolve in the 15 years since his previous stint on the grid—and he welcomes the transformation.
“The biggest change has been in how the sport is perceived,” he said. “15 years ago, the average Formula One fan was 50 to 55. Now it’s closer to 30 or 35, which I think is fantastic.”
He credits the sport’s growing popularity to Liberty Media’s marketing strategy and the leadership of Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“What Stefano has done in the last three or four years is amazing, and luckily for everybody, they’ve renewed his contract for another four years,” he said. “Every race is now sold out. I was in Shanghai just recently – on a Thursday – and there were already a lot of people there, which never used to be the case.”
The spectacle surrounding race weekends is something Briatore has long championed.
“When we started in F1 at Benetton, we had not only the press from the sport or F1, but also international press, lifestyle press,” he said. “We started modelling the value of F1 beyond the garage. Now, they get it.”
Flavio Briatore and his wife Elisabetta Gregoraci at the Monaco Ambassadors Club Goodwill Gala 2025. Photo source: MAC
Staying connected with a younger audience
At 74, Briatore remains remarkably in tune with the next generation, maintaining a strong digital presence. He is surprisingly hands-on with his social media, where he connects with over 1.7 million followers on Instagram.
“I run my account myself – so yes, the photos aren’t always perfect, but they’re real,” he said. “That’s what matters. If you want to connect with younger generations, you have to be genuine. Most of my followers are between 18 and 35.”
Some of those followers may have discovered him through the hit Netflix series Drive to Survive, where he takes on something of a Godfather-like role – though Briatore hasn’t yet seen the impact for himself.
“I actually haven’t seen it yet,” he laughed. “But I promise, the next time I take a long flight, I’ll watch it. Still, it’s another great success for Formula One – bringing in new audiences and giving people a closer look at the sport.”
“The best race in the world is in Monaco.”
The Monaco Grand Prix: more than just a race
The introduction of a mandatory two-pit stop rule at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix has generated considerable interest, with hopes it will bring a new layer of strategy to the iconic race. Flavio Briatore acknowledges the intention behind the change, though he remains cautious about the overall impact.
“I don’t think it will dramatically change the race, but it does help with perception,” said Briatore. “Monaco has often been criticised for being too predictable – whoever starts at the front usually finishes there. Two pit stops could shake things up a bit.”
But for Briatore, the Monaco Grand Prix will always be about more than just racing.
“Even if the circuit in Monaco is not perhaps what people dream of, it’s the event itself,” he said. “80% of people come because they are interested in Formula One, 20% come because there is something magical happening in Monaco. The best race in the world is in Monaco. People come here to have fun.”
From shaping championship-winning teams in Formula One to building a global hospitality brand anchored in Monaco, Briatore’s influence is woven into the fabric of the Principality. Now, as its 2025 Goodwill Ambassador, he’s officially tasked with taking that influence even further—representing Monaco’s spirit of ambition, style and international reach on the world stage.
Monaco Life is produced by a team of real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.
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