Monaco defender Benjamin Henrichs believes his side can take confidence from their display despite a comprehensive loss to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
Leonardo Jardim’s side are in the Ligue 1 relegation places after a woeful start to the season and are yet to pick up a point in the Champions League.
A 3-0 defeat at the Westfalenstadion looks bad on paper but Monaco gave as good as they got in the first half before Jacob Bruun Larsen opened the scoring in the 51st minute.
Henrichs said on uefa.com: “I honestly felt that we were the better side in the first half. Things went downhill after we conceded the first one, but we can take a lot of positive things from that first half, where we played quite well.”
The pressure on the Monaco goal grew after Bruun Larsen’s goal and Paco Alcacer made amends for missing a penalty by scoring the second before Marco Reus added a late third.
Monaco midfielder Jean-Eudes Aholou added: “In terms of the game, we were undone by our hesitation. It’s a pity to have lost because we put the right ingredients into things.
“We respected the gameplan but we still have to work on focusing on 90 minutes. It’s complicated for us at the moment but we don’t need to throw everything away from that. There are things to build on.”
Bruun Larsen’s goal was created by England starlet Jadon Sancho, who has six assists to his name already this season.
The 18-year-old, who signed a new contract on Tuesday, said: “I don’t know why I am only assisting and not scoring!
“I keep moving into the right positions and then I see someone better positioned so I pass it. I have made so many steps forward here, learning from the great players around me on the training pitch and during the games.”
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