Coupet doubts Monaco´s potential

Former Lyon goalkeeper Gregory Coupet believes Monaco will have problems forming a cohesive team when they are back in Ligue 1 next season.

The principality club sealed promotion to the top flight under coach Claudio Ranieri earlier this month and, backed by Russian owner Dmitry Rybolovlev, are rumoured to be close to sealing the signings of Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao and Porto pair Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez.

But Coupet, who retired in 2011 after spells at Saint-Etienne, Lyon, Atletico and Paris Saint-Germain, has questioned the wisdom of Monaco’s expected spending spree.

“What is nice about football is that it is a team sport,” he told RMC.

“We don’t know whether the combination will make a team. The players are certainly very, very strong individually. I still believe that Monaco wouldn’t be the only competitor to PSG.

“We must not forget that there will always be a different situation at Monaco to other clubs. The Porto players will discover a club without the same fervour, the same passion with a stadium that isn’t always full.

“There is an adjustment to a new situation, to a new league.”