Filipe Luís set to take over, Monaco brace for coaching fines
Monaco have confirmed the departure of Sébastien Pocognoli and are finalising the appointment of Filipe Luís as your new head coach (2). The club is willing to accept fines of nearly R$150,000 per match because Luís's South American coaching license is not valid in Europe (1) (2).
Luís grew impatient waiting for Bayer Leverkusen to make a decision on their own coaching search, and Monaco moved quickly to secure him (1). The Brazilian is expected to be announced formally in the coming days.
Monaco accept license issue as cost of doing business
Under UEFA rules, coaches must hold a valid European license to manage in Ligue 1. Luís's credentials from South America do not meet that standard automatically, meaning Monaco will be fined each match until the paperwork is resolved (1) (2).
The club has already factored those fines into its planning. The deal is done, the costs are accepted, now it is just a question of timing.
Fan reactions
Bayer Leverkusen fans on Reddit have been tracking this saga from the other side, and the mood is one of frustration (link: https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1tuvjfk/bayer_leverkusens_coaching_search_filipe_lu%C3%ADs). Leverkusen pushed ahead with a deal for Andoni Iraola, who ended up at Liverpool, while Luís got tired of waiting and signed for Monaco. From the outside looking in, it seems Monaco's decisiveness has landed them a coach another Champions League club let slip.
