An inexplicably lethargic AS Monaco Basketball lost against Strasbourg (87-100) on Wednesday in the first-leg of their Betclic Elite playoff. A loss in the return fixture will consign them to a shock exit, and Obradovic was not happy.
Perhaps it was a hangover from that soul-sapping defeat to Olympiacos in the Euroleague playoffs a fortnight ago, or the absence of star man Mike James who Sasa Obradovic revealed post-match had a sprained finger. Either way, this Roca Team was unrecognisable to the side that have dominated both on the continent and domestically in recent weeks and months.
“Wake up!”
Monaco were defensively inattentive from the off. In the opening seconds of the counter, Strasbourg manufactured a free two-pointer attempt under the board, as runs went completely unchecked.
Strasbourg went into an early lead before Obradovic’s men eventually found their range, at least in an attacking sense to draw level at the end of the first-quarter (24-24). The returning Alpha Diallo (22 pts) didn’t show any signs of lack of match sharpness as he picked up where he left off.
But the problem wasn’t in offence, but in defence. Strasbourg continued to work openings with astonishing ease, their intensity going unmatched by a weary Monaco. Obradovic tried to galvanise them and lift them out of their slumber as he screamed at his players to “wake up” throughout the second-quarter.
Those words had little effect. Monaco continued to sleepwalk towards a surprise defeat as sloppiness and frustration crept into their play in the second-half. The game was over as a contest way before the final buzzer, the underdogs had come to the Salle Gaston Medecin and prevailed (87-100).
Storm Obradovic: Roca Team coach unleashes his fury
Post-match, questioned by Monaco Life as to the secret behind beating Monaco, Strasbourg coach Lassi Tuovi replied, “I don’t necessarily know the secret. We’ve just built a group with an underdog mentality, who are hungry and humble.”
Obradovic responded to that saying, “You asked what is the secret, the secret is the attitude. The underdog was here fighting and if you don’t have the same approach, anyone can beat you.”
He added, “When you’ve worked all season to be in this game, you don’t need any extra motivation. You can’t be tired from the season, you can’t be searching for excuses to justify the way we performed. It’s not fair to the fans who came to watch us, it’s as simple as that. They gave their full energy in the Euroleague and then they came and gave 50%.”
Responding to Monaco Life, Roca Team captain Leo Westermann reflected on their lack of intensity throughout the fixture. “They had more desire and were in the right mode and we weren’t,” he said. “In the next match, we really need to show another side to ourselves and get into that play-off mode. We’ll see what we’re made of.”
The second-leg of the tie takes place in Strasbourg on Saturday. Only a win will do for the Roca Team, which would mean one final, winner-takes-all tie at the Salle Gaston Medecin next week.
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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
Interview with Charles Leclerc: “I don’t believe in bad luck”
Speaking ahead of his home Grand Prix this weekend, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc says that he believes the “poor luck” he has experienced in Monaco, and more recently in Barcelona, will turn around, hopefully sooner rather than later.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen hit the front for the first time this season following victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, during a race in which Leclerc was forced to retire due to mechanical issues. In spite of that disappointment, which sees him head into the Monaco Grand Prix knocked off the perch that he had thus far occupied since the first race in Australia, Leclerc says he is concentrating on the positives.
“It’s true of course that we lost 1st place in the Championship and I would have preferred to come into my home race as the leader of the championship,” began the Monegasque during an interview with select media including Monaco Life. “It’s only a little detail at this point of the season. There are still 16 races to go; the season is yet long.”
“Before Barcelona, we were asking ourselves a lot of questions because it was true that we didn’t have the same performance as Red Bull in the race, especially in terms of tyre degradation. We were degrading them a lot, so we had difficulty keeping them behind us during the race. But in Barcelona, we found a lot of answers to our questions and it was a lot more positive,” he added.
Nonetheless, Leclerc revealed that, “it doesn’t change my approach for the weekend. I will just be giving 110% as I always do, as I’ve done since the start of the year. It’s true that it’s a very special Grand Prix for me because it’s at home, but it’s during exactly this kind of weekend that we mustn’t force things too much.”
Ferrari look particularly strong going into the weekend. Not only have they brought on upgrades, which will improve race performance, but the prancing horse’s performance in the low-to-medium speed corners in Catalunya is usually indicative of a car that will perform well in the tight streets of Monte-Carlo.
But as Leclerc said, the season is still young, and neither he nor his team are resting on their laurels. “The new upgrade has been positive. It has worked exactly as we expected it would. So that’s great news, because it isn’t always the case in F1. Sometimes there are differences between what we see on the computers and what we see when it is actually attached to the car,” he said.
“Tyre degradation was much better in Barcelona. It’s maybe too soon to say that it won’t trouble us in the remaining races, but we’ve clearly seen progress. We need a few more races before we can be certain that it’s working well. We also need to continue to push, because Red Bull are a very good team, especially in terms of car development. Now we’ve shown that the improvements work well, we have to bring on more to make another step,” Leclerc added.
Charles Leclerc at the Australian GP, photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office
It is not only the Red Bull that Ferrari must be wary of. Mercedes made huge improvements going into the Spanish Grand Prix, which duly reaped on-track rewards. George Russell earned a podium for a strong drive, whilst Lewis Hamilton fought his way back to fifth after receiving a puncture on the first lap, which demoted him to 19th.
Asked by Monaco Life whether he expects the Mercedes drivers to be title-challengers, he responded, “Mercedes have made big progress; we saw that in Barcelona. They are still a bit behind, but they are a lot closer than before, and you can never rule a team like Mercedes out of a Championship because, quite simply, they are a very strong team.”
However, he concluded by saying, “But with the levels of performance that I see at the moment, I do think it’ll be more between Red Bull and Ferrari.”
Currently, a two-horse-race for the Championship is emerging. Whilst Leclerc and Verstappen have managed to extract the maximum from their machinery, the same cannot be said for Carlos Sainz. Unlike Leclerc, team-mate Sainz has struggled to tame the single-seater, whose rear-end is known to be difficult to control. Sainz’s latest escapade in the gravel trap at Barcelona attested to that.
Nonetheless, Leclerc expects his team-mate to get to grips with the car and begin challenging for race wins soon, telling Monaco Life, “Last year he proved he is a very good driver, very quick. Carlos is solid and consistent. This year he has had a bit more of a difficult time in the opening races, but I think it’s only a matter of time before we see him at ease in the car and find him racing alongside me for the victory, allowing us to earn one-twos for Ferrari,” said Leclerc.
Should Sainz better or equal the second place that he earned in Monaco last year, Ferrari could well be on for a one-two finish. The Spaniard was the only Ferrari to run in that race after Leclerc’s Saturday mishap and subsequent mechanical issue on the Sunday. It was just the latest episode in a series of ill-fated runs for Leclerc around his home track.
But he told Monaco Life that he doesn’t believe in bad luck. “It’s true that when I look at the last races at home, and of course a couple of weeks ago, I haven’t been lucky, but I don’t believe in bad luck. I do, however, believe that there is balance in life. I’m sure that all those years off poor luck will be compensated for down the line. Hopefully, that will start this year,” he said.
Charles Leclerc at the Bahrain GP, photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office
Leclerc’s latest acquaintance with the Monte-Carlo barriers was made under-two weeks ago. During an exhibition lap in Niki Lauda’s iconic 1974 Ferrari, a mechanical failure sent him spinning at La Rascasse, subsequently damaging the rear-wing. But that crash doesn’t appear to have dented his confidence.
“It was unfortunately something that I couldn’t avoid, so there isn’t a loss of confidence from that. It was a problem with the motor, that happens in motorsport. Hopefully, this year in F1 it will go well, because it’s an important year and every point counts. I hope it will be a success,” said Leclerc.
Although atoning for those years of hurt would be cathartic for Leclerc, he is still looking at the bigger picture. Asked whether he prioritises a World Championship title or the top step of the podium in Monaco, his response was unequivocal: “I love Monaco, but if I really have to make the choice, then I’d prefer to be World Champion.”
Never has so much been riding on a Monaco Grand Prix for Leclerc. For the first time in his career, the romantic ideal of a victory on home turf plays second-fiddle to the larger Championship battle, although of course there is no reason why the two cannot co-exist. “I’ll try to do both: to win the Monaco Grand Prix and the World Championship.”
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Photos source: Scuderia Ferrari Press Centre. This interview was originally published on Wednesday 25th May 2022
Princess Charlene says she is now “calmer” after traumatic year
Princess Charlene has spoken publicly for the first time since resuming official duties, telling Monaco Matin that she now feels “more calm” although still fragile after a year marked by illness. Appearing at the Monte-Carlo Fashion Awards, the mother of two said that she was “delighted” to be taking Princess Gabriella to her first official mother/daughter event.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday evening, Princess Charlene shared a special photo of Princess Gabriella sitting on her lap, with the caption: “I loved every moment preparing my Princess for her first official event.”
The occasion was the Monte-Carlo Fashion Awards, of which Princess Charlene is patron, and it marked a rare solo outing for the pair. Gabriella’s twin brother, Prince Jacques, is always by her side when they accompany their parents to official events.
And it is clear that the little princess follows in the fashionable footsteps of her mother.
The event was the third official showing by Princess Charlene since she resumed her public activities on 30th April. It was also the first time she has broken her silence on the difficult year that now appears to be behind her.
In an interview with Monaco Matin’s Cedric Verany, the Princess said that her return to Monaco after eight months in South Africa due to complications from a severe ear, throat and nose infection was challenging.
“When I returned to the Principality, I focused all my energy on my children, my husband and my health because they are my priority,” the Princess told Monaco Matin. “My state of health is still fragile and I don’t want to go too fast. The road has been long, difficult and so painful. Today I feel more calm.”
The princess said that she found it “regrettable” that certain media had spread rumours of a divorce with her husband Prince Albert, adding that “Albert was very supportive, we discussed these malicious articles together and he did everything to protect me and our children.”
The Princess revealed that she was thrilled to be attending her first official mother/daughter event at Monte-Carlo Fashion Week, and that the young princess behaves like most little girls when it comes to dress-up.
“Gabriella, like all little girls her age, loves princess dresses, doing her hair and even trying on my lipsticks,” she said. “Gabriella has her own style and I like to encourage that individuality. This mother/daughter fashion outing for the Monte-Carlo Fashion Awards delighted me and we went on stage together for the first time.”
The princess concluded by saying that she was excited to take part in this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, revealing that Prince Jacques will be doing the lap of honour with his father Prince Albert for the first time, and that it will be a “great source of pride” for her and her husband.
F1 stars warm-up for Monaco Grand Prix in free-scoring charity match
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz lined-up alongside two star-studded teams at the Stade Louis II on Tuesday for the World Stars football match at the Stade Louis II.
Fans streamed in to watch the spectacle, many of whom were clearly here for the Grand Prix weekend and were eager to watch some of the best drivers in the world try their hand at another sport. They were not disappointed, as well as Leclerc and Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Daniil Kvyat, Fernando Alonso and Lucas Di Grassi were all present.
Pre-match, Prince Albert II and Prince Jacques greeted the players of both sides, as well as Francesco Totti, who despite not featuring in the game itself, was nonetheless present to give his support to the teams and to the charitable cause.
It was an entertaining, open game of many opportunities. Gasly, who has the precision to navigate the narrow streets of the Principality, didn’t quite have the magic touch on the football field. Many chances fell his way, but he couldn’t convert, as fine margins were often the difference.
The scoring was opened by an incredible long-range curling free-kick from Vincent Candela, who reacted with the an ambivalent noncholance that insinuated that he, the former World Cup winner, was well used to producing such magical moments on a regular basis.
As a thunderstorm struck the stadium at the beginning of the second-half, it began raining goals on the pitch. The Star Team for the Children doubled the scoring, the All Stars Formula 1 Drivers then grabbed one back, before the former’s two goal advantage was restored.
Although the home crowd were eager to witness a Leclerc goal, it was his team-mate Sainz that proved to be the gamechanger. Two goals from the Ferrari driver in a matter of seconds wiped away the deficit.
Clearly as at home on a football pitch as he is at the wheel of a single-seater, Sainz dictated play and was the most dangerous player on the pitch, some fingertip saves denying the Spaniard a deserved hat-trick.
But neither side could break the deadlock and 3-3 it remained, both teams happy with their showing and for having raised money for an important cause.
The event raised funds to help children all over the world, the importance of the cause was highlighted by former AS Monaco winger Jerôme Rothen post-match, who said, “It’s essential that children are in good health, and that their health is improved and taken care of in good conditions.”
The event certainly helped towards achieving this goal, whilst entertaining fans in the warm-up to what is the biggest weekend in the Monegasuqe sporting calendar.
Photo source: Michael Alesi, Government Communication Department
Karl Lagerfeld estate auctions fetch €22 million total
The sale of iconic fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld’s estate has made its way from Monaco to Paris and now Germany where auctions pulled in a grand total of €22.5 million for his collections.
Karl Lagerfeld was a legend in the fashion industry, reigning supreme as creative director at Chanel and Fendi as well as at his own namesake fashion house until his death at aged 85 in 2019.
The designer’s estates in Monaco and Paris went under the hammer in December 2021 and brought in a combined total of €18.2 million. This staggering figure was added to by the sales in his native Germany, where a Sotheby’s-run auction fetched €4.2 million, more than seven times the lowball estimate for the lots.
“This third instalment of the Karl Lagerfeld estate, like the first two sessions, has aroused the interest of collectors all over the world, particularly from Germany and the United States,” said Pierre Mothes, Vice-President of Sotheby’s France who had initiated the first of the triad of sales in Monaco. “The choice of Cologne had been decided as early as the launch of the project, as a tribute to the German roots of Karl Lagerfeld. The collection revealed his tastes as a decorator, aesthete and designer who collected in many categories, but also, which is rarer, the man he was.”
Known lovingly as “The Kaiser”, Lagerfeld’s collection included a set of German advertising posters he had gathered over three decades and which were installed in his residence in Louveciennes near Paris that fetched more than €660,000, close to double the high estimate. In Cologne, around 40 designs made by the couturier were snapped up for more than a million euros.
Sotheby’s will auction his graphic works in the summer, and again, it is expected to see record-busting sales.
MonacoTech, the Principality’s start-up incubator, has announced that one of the companies they support, Yachtneeds, has just raised funds to the tune of €1.25 million, allowing for a major expansion of the business starting this summer.
Yachtneeds, a marketplace website aimed at the yachting industry and supported by MonacoTech, has just hit the next level. The company, founded by Tony Stout, was designed to help yachting crew, captains and owners find just about anything imaginable in “just a few clicks”.
The idea is that whatever is needed can be ordered from a list of thousands of yachting-specific local and international vendors and delivered directly to the boat in ports around the globe.
The financial windfall came from a private investor, who is a resident of the Principality, as well as the Monegasque Innovation, Impact and Acceleration Fund (F2IAM), supported by the Monegasque Government.
“To have an idea and to have others see and invest in what we are creating is extremely rewarding. This round of investment will have a significant impact on the future of our company to heavily accelerate our growth and facilitate in building a platform that is used by the global yachting community,” said Stout of the company’s new investors.
The company’s plans are to hit one million referenced products on its site, to expand to 15 franchises and be able to cater to clients in 1,100 ports around the globe. They also hope to double the number of employees from the current 10 to 20 in 2023.
The company’s cash injection will allow them to continue their ambitious international expansion, notably to more counties around the Mediterranean this summer, as well as in the United States, with an estimated launch in September of this year.
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