Saturday morning dawned clear and cool, the kind of pristine autumn day that seemed made for football. At the Stade Louis II, ground staff were already at work—marking lines, testing the surface, and preparing the stage for Monaco's return to league action.

In the team hotel's meeting room, Demien concluded the final tactical briefing before the players dispersed for pre-match meals and mental preparation. The starting eleven had been confirmed the previous evening, balancing the reintegration of internationals with the need for tactical cohesion.

"Auxerre will defend deep and compact," he reminded them, pointing to their expected 4-5-1 formation on the tactical board. "They'll try to frustrate us and counter through Lachuer and Kahlenberg. Our response must be control—tempo, space, emotion. We need to keep everything under our control."

The players absorbed the instructions with focused attention—Alonso mentally mapping passing lanes, Morientes visualizing movement patterns, and Evra calculating overlapping timings. The collective understanding they had been developed over months was evident in their silent processing.

Giuly lingered after the others had left, his captain's armband already a permanent fixture in his mental preparation, even hours before kickoff.

"You okay?" Demien asked, noticing the slight tension in the winger's posture.

"Fine," Giuly replied, though his expression suggested otherwise. "Just focused."

Demien sensed the underlying current—France's two qualifiers had reinforced Giuly's international exile, as the national team manager overlooked his consistent performances in favor of other options. This was another deviation from the timeline Demien remembered, where Giuly had regularly featured for France during this period.

"Channel it," Demien said simply. "Use it."

The captain nodded, understanding perfectly what was left unsaid. Frustration could be either destructive or productive—the choice was his to make.

By the time the teams emerged from the tunnel three hours later, that focused tension had spread through the entire Monaco squad. It was not anxiety or pressure—just the coiled anticipation of professionals eager to resume their mission after an enforced interruption.

Auxerre's lineup confirmed Demien's analysis—a defensive 4-5-1 designed to concede possession while denying space in dangerous areas. Kahlenberg and Lachuer provided the creative outlets, with Benjani as the lone striker looking to convert limited chances.

The opening exchanges unfolded as expected—Monaco dominated possession while Auxerre maintained a disciplined defensive shape. Alonso orchestrated play from deep, always available, and never rushed. D'Alessandro, despite his long journey, moved with his characteristic intelligence, finding space between Auxerre's rigid lines.

In the fourteenth minute, the first clear chance emerged: Rothen cut inside from the left, combined with Morientes, and unleashed a shot that the goalkeeper parried away at full stretch. The crowd's reaction reflected a growing sense of belief—not frustration over the missed opportunity, but anticipation of what was to come.

Auxerre's defensive block remained resolute, with their midfield five tirelessly closing down central channels, forcing Monaco to play wider than Demien would have preferred. When the visitors finally launched their first meaningful counter in the twenty-sixth minute, Roma had to be alert to deny Benjani after a sharp break down Monaco's right.

The first half continued in this rhythm—Monaco probing, Auxerre resisting, with occasional counter creating moments of danger that were efficiently neutralized. At halftime, with the scoreline still 0-0, Demien gathered the team in the dressing room.

"They're dropping deeper," he noted, making a small adjustment on the tactical board. "Spaces are opening up between their defense and midfield. D'Alessandro, look for those pockets more. Morientes, your movement is pulling their center-backs apart—keep it up."

No dramatic changes, no sweeping revisions—just refined details aimed at exploiting the subtle weaknesses beginning to show in Auxerre's approach.

The breakthrough came in the fifty-second minute, just as analyzed: Alonso found D'Alessandro between Auxerre's lines. The Argentine turned quickly and released Giuly's perfectly timed diagonal run. The captain's finish was emphatic—a rising drive that left the goalkeeper with no chance.

1-0.

Giuly's celebration was pointed—not excessive or disrespectful, but clearly meaningful. It sent a message to those who continued to overlook his international credentials.

In response, Auxerre pushed their defense line higher, trying to compress the space Monaco had exploited for the opener. This played directly into Demien's hands. When an Auxerre midfielder was caught in possession attempting a forward pass, Monaco transitioned with devastating efficiency.

Alonso to Evra, Evra finding D'Alessandro between the lines. The Argentine taking one touch to eliminate a defender before curling a shot of exquisite precision into the far corner.

2-0.

The fluidity of the move and the clinical execution of the finish showcased Monaco at their best. Their tactical approach translated into beautiful football, drawing appreciative applause even from neutral observers.

D'Alessandro's celebration was understated—his arms spread briefly before teammates engulfed him. The jet lag from his international return faded away in the satisfaction of another influential performance.

Now chasing the game, Auxerre abandoned their disciplined shape. Gaps appeared that hadn't existed in the first hour, and channels opened that Monaco's intelligent players exploited with surgical precision.

The third goal, which came in the seventy-fourth minute, belonged to Alonso. The midfielder arrived late to meet Rothen's cutback before placed a composed finish beyond the goalkeeper's reach. It was his first goal for Monaco, a fitting reward for another controlling performance.

3-0.

Demien made substitutions to manage energy—Adebayor replacing a tiring Morientes, and Givet came on to give Evra a much-needed rest. The rotation was seamless, and the tactical understanding remaned intact despite the personnel changes.

Auxerre managed a consolation goal in the eighty-sixth minute—a well-taken goal from Benjani after Monaco's concentration momentarily wavered. It was the only blemish on an otherwise complete performance.

When the final whistle confirmed the 3-1 victory, the satisfaction around Stade Louis II was palpable. The international break had not disrupted Monaco's momentum; if anything, it had sharpened their collective focus.

In the locker room afterward, players moved with the satisfied weariness of professionals who had met expectations. Nothing excessive, nothing dramatic—just another example of the consistency that was becoming Monaco's hallmark.

Stone appeared as Demien reviewed his post-match notes. "Clean performance," the sporting director remarked. "The break didn't slow us down."

"It shouldn't have," Demien replied. "We prepared for it."

"The media attention is increasing," Stone continued. "After Athens and now this, they're starting to talk about Monaco differently–not just domestically, but across Europe."

Demien didn't respond. The growing recognition was inevitable but irrelevant to his focus. External narratives and media perceptions were distractions that would neither accelerate nor impede their progress.

"Lyon drew today," Stone added. "We're three points clear at the top now."

That information was more pertinent. In the original timeline, Monaco had been chasing at this point, not leading. Another deviation, another shift in the path Demien remembered.

Michel joined them, tablet in hand displaying the upcoming fixture schedule. "It gets congested now," he said. "Deportivo on Tuesday, then Lens next weekend. Recovery protocols will be crucial."

"We're monitoring individual markers," Demien assured him. "Evra and Rothen will need careful management after their international minutes. D'Alessandro too, given his travel."

As they discussed the specific adjustments to be implemented, Demien's gaze drifted across the locker room—Giuly addressing younger players, Morientes and Alonso comparing notes on a tactical sequence, D'Alessandro and Rothen engaged in animated conversation about a shared observation.

The cohesion was evident, the collective understanding deepening with each match. This wasn't just a talented squad; it was becoming a unified entity, each component functioning in harmony with the others.

In his previous life, Demien had written endlessly about this kind of team chemistry in notebooks no one ever read. Now, he was building it in real time with players whose careers he had once studied as history.

The international break, rather than disrupting this development, had somehow accelerated it—players returning with a renewed appreciation for Monaco's approach, diverse experiences enriching their collective understanding, and the brief separation reinforcing the unity of purpose that bound them together.

As players dispersed for media duties and recovery protocols, Demien remained focused on what lay ahead. Facing Deportivo in the Champions League represented the next significant test—an opportunity to establish Monaco as genuine contenders, not just participants, in Europe's elite competition.

In the original timeline, that fixture had been challenging—a narrow victory secured through individual brilliance rather than collective control. But this team, this approach, this momentum—it was already different.

With each performance, the divergence only grew—the new reality establishing itself with increasing authority, the original path fading like a dream upon waking.

Demien closed his tactical notebook and moved toward the exit. Auxerre was behind them. The international break was behind them. The next challenge awaited.

And with each victory, the timeline bent further.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.