Only Messi can shirk defending: warns Monterrey coach before Dortmund clash
Monterrey secured an impressive 1-1 draw against Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in the group phase, but, to reach the quarter-finals, must secure a first ever win for a Mexican side against European opposition in the competition.
"We need to compete as a team, and what I mean is it's about defending -- we must all defend, if you do not defend, you're getting benched, if you don't abide by the rules, you're harming the team," Torrent told a news conference Monday ahead of the match in Atlanta.
"We played very well against Inter Milan, we went in for every ball, we suffered and we endured, even our most talented players that tend to defend less, they defended very well.
"There are only one or two players who may make a difference -- one is Lionel Messi, the best player in history. He was the only one who could tip the balance, turn the game on its head, without team-mates, without defending.
"He was so good he could tip the balance but all the other players in the world they need to track back and to defend, otherwise you can't compete head-to-head with these teams."
Torrent said the margin of quality between European sides and the rest of the world was smaller, but still evident, although it did not preclude an upset.
"Against the top European teams there is a significant gap, this is the truth of the matter," he explained.
"We have a plan A, plan B and plan C, that's what you need as a coach, many things happen over the course of a football match."
The Mexican side boast a serial winner in former Real Madrid veteran centre-back Sergio Ramos, with the 39-year-old wearing the captain's armband and marshalling the defence.
In attack they have former Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos and striker German Berterame, who netted a brace against Urawa Red Diamonds in the final group game to help them progress second, eliminating Argentine powerhouses River Plate.
Del Piero's pick
Former Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero even picked Monterrey to go through ahead of Dortmund when making some last 16 predictions.
"He's a football world legend, a reference. We thank him, but we don't take it seriously. We know who we are and, on paper, who the favorites are," said Torrent.
"I hope our players haven't heard (that), because what I want to make clear to my players is that we have to fight for every ball, every second -- only in this way can we compete."
Berterame said the team have grown a lot psychologically under Torrent, who was Pep Guardiola's assistant at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City before starting on his own path as a head coach.
"Our mentality and what we've accomplished have made our mindset higher now," explained the forward.
© 2025 AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
5 hours ago
- France 24
Giroud signs one-year deal with Ligue 1 club Lille
The 38-year-old, France's all-time record goalscorer, left MLS side Los Angeles FC last week. Giroud last played in the French top flight for Montpellier, winning the 2011-12 Ligue 1 title before leaving for Arsenal. "I'm very happy and excited to be back in France, home," Giroud said in a statement. "It made perfect sense to return to Ligue 1 13 years after leaving it. I've always considered Lille at top French club. "It's a young and talented squad, which needs experienced players like me. So I'll also be there in that role." Giroud spent six seasons with Arsenal, scoring more than 100 goals for the London giants before signing for Chelsea, with whom he won the 2021 Champions League title. He then spent three seasons with AC Milan, lifting the Serie A crown in 2022, before making the move to the US. Giroud retired from international football last year with a record 57 goals in 137 appearances for France and won the 2018 World Cup with the national team.
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Gonzalo heads Real Madrid past Juventus and into Club World Cup quarters
The Spanish giants will face the winner of Tuesday's other game between Borussia Dortmund and Mexico's Monterrey in the last eight. It was an impressive display from Xabi Alonso's Madrid side and adding to a positive day, Kylian Mbappe made his return from illness, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute for his first appearance of the tournament. The first half was a finely-balanced contest with Igor Tudor's Juventus starting brightly before Real ended it on top. There was an early chance for Juve's Randal Kolo Muani after clever work from Kenan Yildiz to put him through on goal, but the French forward opted for an attempted chip of Thibaut Courtois and his shot floated over the bar. The impressive Yildiz then burst through the middle and unleashed a fierce effort which deflected off Aurelien Tchouameni and flew wide. The Turin team, beaten 5-2 by Manchester City in their final group game, were moving the ball around with confidence but Real grew into the contest and they went close when Jude Bellingham forced a save out of Michele Di Gregorio from close range. Federico Valverde then tested the Juve goalkeeper from long range and Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped a low ball across the face of the goal as Madrid finished the half strongly. The interval did nothing to alter the momentum of the game with Real creating several chances -- Bellingham laid off to Valverde, whose sweetly-struck shot was just wide and then Bellingham himself brought another good save out of Di Gregorio with a shot from the edge of the box. Dean Huijsen's rocketing drive was parried out by the busy goalkeeper as Real laid seige to the Juventus goal and it was no surprise when the breakthrough finally arrived. Alexander-Arnold floated in a cross from the right which Gonzalo met with a perfectly-timed header for his third goal in four games in the tournament. Juve responded with Portuguese winger Francisco Conceicao bringing Courtois into action from a low shot the Belgian shot-stopper did well to get down to. But Real wanted to finish the contest off and Valverde tested Di Gregorio's reactions with an overhead kick before Alonso decided to introduce Mbappe to the delight of the 62,149 crowd. Juve's belief remained however and Nicolas Gonzalez flashed a 25-yard drive just wide. At the other end, Real's Turkish midfielder Arda Guler saw his crisp shot kept out by the feet of Di Gregorio, but the one goal was enough.
France 24
9 hours ago
- France 24
Man City left to reflect on Club World Cup exit as tournament opens up
City had travelled to the United States off the back of a disappointing campaign both in England and in Europe. They had looked ominous at the Club World Cup, scoring 13 goals en route to being the only team to win all three group matches. There was promise shown by pre-tournament signings Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki, but City's run abruptly ended with a 4-3 extra-time loss against the Saudi side in Orlando. But could going out now benefit them in the long run? "No one wanted to lose, we are very used to not having holidays unfortunately because the schedule is crazy," City's Bernardo Silva told UK media after what was their 61st match since last August. "But when we are in a competition we take it very seriously and we had a lot of ambition for this Club World Cup and we wanted to win it." Guardiola said before facing Al-Hilal that he understood criticism of the Club World Cup by former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who called the competition "the worst idea ever implemented in football". "Maybe in November, December or January it will be a disaster, we are exhausted and the World Cup has destroyed us," Guardiola contemplated before facing Al-Hilal. Now City go home almost two weeks before the final, and the time to rest will be precious. "We would have loved to have continued, you can only be here once every four years, we had a feeling that the team is doing well but we go home and now it is time to rest and rest our minds for the new season," Guardiola said. There are more than six weeks until City play their opening Premier League game away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 16. That should be ample time for the City players to rest and then ease themselves back in, including Rodri. The Spanish midfielder was being eased back into action after missing most of the last campaign with injury. He came off the bench against Al-Hilal but was substituted in extra time. "We have to see how Rodri is. He was good but later complained about his situation," Guardiola said. Al-Hilal flex Saudi muscle City still leave with significant prize money, likely to be around $40 million, for their participation at the Club World Cup. Their exit means one of the semi-finalists is guaranteed to come from outside Europe, as Al-Hilal now face Fluminense in the last four. Rio de Janeiro outfit Fluminense joined fellow Brazilians Palmeiras in making the quarters when the 2023 Copa Libertadores winners ousted Inter Milan in the last 16 on Monday. Fluminense have shown they should not be taken lightly, with 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea defender Thiago Silva marshalling their back line and Colombian winger Jhon Arias proving one of the players of the tournament. The narrative almost since the beginning at the tournament has been of Brazilian teams appearing most likely to stop what had always seemed an inevitable European triumph. But the last two years have shown that only a select band of mega-rich clubs in the Saudi Pro League can rival the spending of Europe's elite. Al-Hilal, from the capital Riyadh, are one of several Saudi teams who have been controlled by the Gulf country's oil-funded Public Investment Fund. They missed out on this year's domestic title to Al-Ittihad of Jeddah but are historically Saudi Arabia's most successful team and qualified for the Club World Cup thanks to their AFC Champions League win in 2021. Simone Inzaghi left Inter Milan to become their coach just before the tournament, taking over a squad full of players lured from leading European teams by the riches on offer. Al-Hilal must now be favourites against Fluminense, which would clear a path to a semi-final against Chelsea or Palmeiras.
