Dare Babalola
French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco have parted ways with head coach Sébastien Pocognoli less than eight months after his appointment, the club confirmed on Monday.
Pocognoli, who took charge in October 2025, had a year remaining on his contract but was dismissed following Monaco’s disappointing seventh-place finish in the 2025/26 Ligue 1 campaign, a result that denied the club qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
The Principality club will instead compete in the UEFA Conference League play-offs.
In a statement announcing the decision, the club said, “AS Monaco announces the end of its collaboration with Sebastien Pocognoli at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season.”
The 38-year-old Belgian replaced Adi Hütter after arriving from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise and initially helped revive Monaco’s fortunes following a difficult start to the season.
Under his leadership, Monaco mounted a strong challenge for a top-three finish, embarking on a 10-match unbeaten run that briefly put Champions League qualification within reach.
However, a poor run of results towards the end of the campaign saw the team slip to seventh place, ultimately costing them a return to Europe’s premier club competition.
Pocognoli departs alongside his assistants, Kevin Mirallas and Artur Kopyt.
The club had also relieved three other staff members of their duties in recent days as part of a broader restructuring.
Reports in French and international media suggest former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luís is the leading candidate to replace Pocognoli. The 40-year-old Brazilian coach left Flamengo in March after guiding the club to Copa Libertadores success last year.
Monaco are expected to announce their new manager in the coming weeks as preparations begin for the 2026/27 season.
