Monaco (AP) - Former Bayern coach Niko Kovac scored a point on his debut with his new club AS Monaco despite being 2-0 down. Last year's ninth against Stade Reims started the new Ligue 1 season with a 2: 2 (1: 2).
Kovac took over the club a few weeks ago after leaving the German record champions in autumn of last year.
Boulaye Dia (5th minute) and El Bilal Touré (21st) had initially shot Europa League participants Reims in the lead, before Axel Disasi (45th + 2) and Benoit Badiashile (55th) equalized. Monaco had changed coach several times since the previous championship in 2017, but most recently they were mostly disappointed. Kovac should lead the club from the Côte d'Azur back into the Champions League.
The Ligue 1 season began on Friday after a 166-day break due to the Corona break. After the outbreak of the pandemic, the league was canceled in the spring and Paris Saint-Germain was declared champion. Due to a few corona cases, the game originally intended as the opening game between Olympique Marseille and AS Saint-Etienne had to be postponed.
Kovac will keep his fingers crossed for his former club FC Bayern in the Champions League final against PSG on Sunday evening. "If you ask me who I support - that is clear. Bayern Munich," said the 48-year-old before his game against Reims with a view to the final. "There is no favorite, both teams are in very, very good shape." If Bayern wins, he will not feel like a Champions League winner, said Kovac, who had coached Munich until the beginning of November: "No, I'm here now," he said.
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Pk Niko Kovac before the game
AS Monaco on Twitter
Table Ligue 1
Information about the game