LOOKING AT THE eight current Champions League quarter finalists, Monaco are one of the obvious underdogs.
However, the same could have been said in 2004, when the Ligue 1 side reached the final ahead of a number of more high-profile teams.
And their achievement was certainly no fluke, as they beat teams of the calibre of Chelsea and Real Madrid on the way to the final, until they were eventually beaten 3-0 by a Jose Mourinho-managed Porto team in the competition’s climactic game.
But who were the key men behind this improbable run and where are they now? We’ve gathered the info below…
Flavio Roma: The Italian goalkeeper spent eight years at Monaco from 2001 to 2009, after moving there from Piacenza. He eventually moved to Milan in 2009, where he struggled to get first-team football, before returning for a less successful second spell with Monaco in 2012. He has now retired from football, but hasn’t shunned the spotlight entirely since then.
Hugo Ibarra: Oddly, the right-back was on loan at Monaco from Porto when he played against the Portuguese team. He joined Espanyol on loan the following season, before signing for Boca Juniors permanently in 2005, where he made over 100 appearances and became an immensely popular figure. Ibarra retired from football in 2010.
Julien Rodriguez: Left Monaco in 2005, spending two years at Rangers, before leaving to join Marseille, with whom he played for from 2007-2012.
Gael Givet: The centre-back made 178 appearances for Monaco between 2000 and 2007. He went on to play for Marseille and then Blackburn, where he made no secret of his unhappiness. Now aged 33, he plays for Arles-Avignon in Ligue 2.
Patrice Evra: One of the most renowned players on this team, Evra eventually joined Man United in 2006, ultimately winning the Champions League with the Red Devils. He left in the summer however, and is likely to be in the Juve team to face his former club tonight.
Lucas Bernardi: The Argentine defensive midfielder left Monaco in 2008 for Newell’s Old Boys, and only just recently retired from football, after making almost 200 appearances for the South American club.
Andreas Zikos: Another of the more obscure players in this team, ex-Greek international Zikos left Monaco for AEK Athens in 2008, and is now youth team director at the latter club, having retired from football in 2008.
Edouard Cisse: A French player of Senegalese descent, Cisse was on loan from PSG and had made 25 appearances the previous season at West Ham. The midfielder eventually joined Besiktas before further spells at Marseille and Auxerre. He retired from the game in 2013.
Jerome Rothen: Was part of a potent attacking trio that also included Morientes and Giuly, 37-year-old Rothen still plays in Ligue 1 with Caen. He was signed by PSG after Monaco’s Champions League run and spent six years at the French side, before joining Bastia in 2011. He also released a controversial autobiography in 2008.
Ludovic Giuly: Arguably the best player in the team at the time, the outcome might have been an entirely different one if Giuly had not limped off with an injury after 22 minutes. The winger moved to Barca after that season, before enjoying further spells at Roma, PSG and (once again) Monaco. At 38, he still plays, albeit in the French fourth division with Monts d’Or Azergues Foot.
Fernando Morientes: On loan from Real Madrid at the time, Morientes ironically helped knock the Spanish side out of the Champions League that year. He went on to have a disappointing spell with Liverpool, and also played for Valencia and Marseille. He took charge of the Real Madrid youth team in 2012, and recently came out of retirement to play for DAV Santa Ana in the Madrid regional championships.
Subs:
Tony Sylva: Earned 83 caps in total for Senegal, and after mainly being used as a reserve in 11 years at Monaco, made over 100 appearances with Lille after signing in 2004. He is currently unattached, having been released by Trabzonspor.
Sébastien Squillaci: Played for Lyon, Sevilla and Arsenal, after leaving Monaco in 2006, and is now at Bastia, following his unhappy stint in the Premier League.
Jaroslav Plašil: A legend of Czech football, having made 91 appearances for the national team, he now plays at Bordeaux, following a two-year spell at Osasuna from 2007 on.
Hassan El Fakiri: Joined Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2005 before ending his career at Brann in Norway. He is currently head coach of 3. Divisjon club Os TF.
Dado Prso: Had to cope with the burden of replacing Giuly early in the game, Prso left for Rangers at the end of the season, and became a fan favourite during his three years at Ibrox, before injuries forced him to retire prematurely in 2007.
Shabani Nonda: Replaced Cisse in the 64th minute, Nonda ended up on loan at Blackburn two years later after struggling to adapt with new club Roma. The striker played a further three seasons at Galatasaray
Emmanuel Adebayor: Just 20 at the time, the unused sub went on to play for Arsenal, Man City and Real Madrid, and is now with Tottenham.
Manager - Didier Deschamps: Still a highly rated coach, Deschamps spent one season in 2006-07 at Juve, where he led them to the Serie B title before resigning amid reports of a dispute with the club’s management. He went on to manage Marseille, guiding them to the Champions League quarter-finals, and is now coach of the French national team.
