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.
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.
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.
Basketball: AS Monaco secure EuroLeague Top 4 finish with narrow win over ASVEL
AS Monaco have clinched a top-four EuroLeague finish with a hard-fought win over ASVEL, securing home-court advantage for the play-offs.
With a 78-83 victory in Villeurbanne on Thursday 10th April, AS Monaco Basketball wrapped up their EuroLeague regular season by locking in a top-four spot. The result not only confirmed their place in the quarter-finals but also guaranteed the Roca Team home-court advantage in the upcoming best-of-five series.
The Roca Team had already qualified for the playoffs earlier in the evening following Bayern Munich’s defeat. However, the away win at Astroballe ensured Monaco finished the regular season in fourth place.
Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis praised his side’s performance: “We showed character, we were playing to win this game, quite simply. That’s what had to be done. I want to congratulate my team, we managed to finish 4th to benefit from the advantage of the field.”
In a closely contested match, Monaco held a seven-point lead after the first quarter but struggled to maintain momentum in the second half. ASVEL, who had already been eliminated from the competition, briefly took the lead in the third quarter through free throws. The two sides were level heading into the final 10 minutes.
Mike James, who led Monaco with 20 points and seven assists, proved decisive in the closing stages. He converted three crucial free throws in the final minute to edge Monaco ahead and seal the result.
“We had to win to have the advantage of the field, it’s done,” said James. “We have steps before the play-offs, but we are proud of ourselves with all these years and the play-off qualifiers at the end.”
Jordan Loyd added, “We played pretty well in the last few minutes with consistency. We made mistakes sometimes, but we were able to show character. The play-offs? This is the goal of the season, and we are all ready for this stage.”
This marks Monaco’s fourth consecutive qualification for the EuroLeague playoffs. The team will play the first two games of the quarter-final series at home, with a potential fifth game also on their court if needed. The identity of their opponent will be determined by the final standings.
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.
The Monegasque Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, also known as IMSEE, has officially launched its annual survey designed to calculate Monaco’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2024. This data collection effort, which is mandatory for economic entities based in Monaco, plays a key role in understanding the Principality’s economic health.
On 11th April, IMSEE opened access to its annual online GDP survey. It is important to note that this survey is mandatory but used strictly for statistical purposes. It has no ties to tax assessments and is conducted exclusively by qualified, authorised personnel, with the government keen to reassure business owners that there will be “no tax implications” linked to their declarations.
Those who must complete the survey include: all legal persons governed by private law and all Monegasque public institutions; all natural persons carrying out, as a self-employed worker, a skilled trade or commercial, industrial or professional activity in the Principality, or renting a business or parking lot; any individual who rents furnished accommodation, land and non-residential property, such as a business or car park; all companies and businesses whose headquarters are located abroad and who have opened or use an agency, branch, administrative or representative office in Monaco; any foreign (natural or legal) person who occasionally carries out business in the Principality.
To simplify the submission process, IMSEE offers a user-friendly online service that allows businesses and individuals to complete and transmit their GDP declarations directly. Participants can choose between two submission options: filling out the digital form or uploading a completed file in XLS or XLSX format.
Access to the online platform requires a personal account on the Espace Entreprises du Service Public. Full guidance on how to navigate the service is available via a dedicated procedure sheet. Users must have their activation code, located below the address on the questionnaire posted to all parties concerned by the survey, before beginning the process.
Users of the online service are given the option to participate in the survey anonymously. For those who prefer traditional methods, the paper version can be filled out and returned to IMSEE’s Études et Calcul du PIB department. The deadline for all declarations is the end of May.
Support is available for those needing help with automated data exports or general enquiries. IMSEE can be reached at 8000 2008 (within Monaco) or by email at pib@gouv.mc.
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.
Photo credit: Vojtech Okenka, Pexels
Sunset Monaco to return to Le Méridien with its most electrifying edition yet
As the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend heats up at the end of May, Sunset will once again transform the shores of the Méridien Beach Plaza into the most coveted celebration in town, blending music, art, and high-octane vibes.
Now in its 12th edition, Sunset has become more than just a party, it’s a signature of Monaco’s Grand Prix scene. What started as a private gathering among friends has grown into a must-attend beachfront festival attracting global celebrities, international DJs, and an eclectic mix of locals and visitors. Created by Monaco-based entrepreneurs Thomas Peeters and Cédric Houdrouge, Sunset continues to push boundaries, promising three days of immersive experiences and unmatched atmosphere.
The event’s iconic beachfront location at the Méridien Beach Plaza is once again set to offer guests front-row views of the Mediterranean, accessible by tender for those arriving fresh from the track. From noon until midnight each day, Sunset delivers a laid-back yet luxurious vibe, seamlessly mixing sophistication with the free-spirited energy of a beachside gathering.
Headlining the 2025 edition are artists like PAWSA, Salomé Le Chat, Mattéo Diop, Parallelle, and Rammö, with more names soon to be announced. As always, the music is just part of the story—art installations, live performances, and a dramatic fireworks finale ensure every moment is designed to dazzle.
Adding flavour to the festival is the return of Casa Sunset, now in its second year. This open-access space within the venue offers bold Mexican fusion cuisine curated by chefs Paola Segura and Yoni Gurman, along with expertly crafted cocktails and a live stream of the Grand Prix. Nearby, La Petite Plage provides a serene escape with panoramic sea views and signature Sunset flair.
Sunset’s draw extends beyond music and food – it’s a magnet for A-list names. Past editions have welcomed everyone from Justin Bieber and Bella Hadid to Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen, and Jason Derulo, firmly cementing its place as the place to be during Monaco’s most glamorous weekend.
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.
Photo: Carlita at Sunset Monaco 2025. Credit: Anatole Vialard
After spending a day touring key Grimaldi heritage sites in Brittany with his family, Prince Albert II continued his tour of northern France, crossing over to La Manche to explore local towns and villages with historic connections to the Principality’s dynastic Grimaldi family.
After visiting Matignon, Plévenon, Moyon Villages and Saint-Lô the day prior, the schedule for 10th April took Prince Albert first to Percy-en-Normandie, where he was welcomed by Mayor Charly Varin.
The Prince then attended a ceremony to bless a recently restored 16th-century bell at the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which had been honoured with the patronage of Prince Honoré III of Monaco in 1751. It had originally come from the chapel of Mesnil-Céron, a former Grimaldi stronghold, before being moved to the church in Percy during the French Revolution.
Prince Albert later inaugurated a new local market, where he looked very much at home meeting artisans and producers from the region.
Next came Torigny-les-Villes, where the Prince visited the Château des Matignon, which now serves as the town hall. Here, Prince Albert attended a conference about Jacques III de Matignon, Count of Torigny, who died in 1725. With this year marking the 300th anniversary of his death, Prince Albert paid tribute to his ancestor – the father of the future Prince Jacques of Monaco – acknowledging the impact and influence the military man had on the region.
Later, the family visited the Church of Saint-Laurent, where many of their northern French ancestors are buried, before viewing restoration work at the former Hôtel-Dieu chapel, an effort supported by Prince Albert.
The final stop of the tour took Prince Albert to Saint-Martin-des-Besaces in Calvados, which was merged with the town of Souleuvre-en-Bocage in 2016.
During the visit, the Prince commemorated the legacy of his ancestor, Prince Honoré V, who lived in the town in the early 19th century. Honoré V introduced innovative agricultural and social reforms, benefiting as many as 40 surrounding communities. Prince Albert unveiled a plaque welcoming Saint-Martin-des-Besaces to the Grimaldi Historic Sites Network, before touring the Musée de la Percée du Bocage, a site dedicated to the Normandy landings of 1944.
Throughout the visit, the Prince was warmly received by local dignitaries, including mayors, prefects and regional officials, all of whom celebrated the deep historical and cultural connections between Monaco and the region.
To see more photographs of Prince Albert’s visit to Normandy, click on the images below:
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.
Photo credit: Eric Mathon / Palais Princier de Monaco
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