Sébastien Pocognoli appears set to leave Union Saint-Gilloise to become the new head coach of AS Monaco, replacing Austrian manager Adi Hütter.
Belgian and French media have reported the move, with Het Laatste Nieuws stating that Pocognoli will not be on the bench during Union’s friendly match against Patro Eisden this Thursday.
The 38-year-old former left-back only began his first role as a head coach in the summer of 2024. Despite a challenging start, he guided Union to their twelfth national championship title, their first in 90 years, during the play-offs.
This summer, Pocognoli stayed loyal to Union despite interest from French clubs, going on to lead the team into the Champions League. In their opening group-stage match, they delivered a stunning 1-3 victory over PSV Eindhoven.
Pocognoli hold the league trophy during celebrations of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Sunday 25 May 2025 in Brussels, after winning the 2024-2025 'Jupiler Pro League' first division of the Belgian championship. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
Domestically, Union has continued to excel and currently leads the Belgian Pro League with 23 points after ten matches.
They hold a three-point advantage over their closest competitor, Club Brugge, who handed Union their first league defeat of the season last Sunday with a 1-0 scoreline.
At Monaco, Pocognoli faces significant challenges. According to French publication L’Équipe, he met with Monaco’s management on Wednesday, signalling the start of his appointment.
The Monegasques are struggling, having won just one of their past five matches. They suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against Club Brugge in the Champions League and sit fifth in Ligue 1.
Recent results, including a 3-1 loss to Lorient and a late 2-2 draw against Nice, have left Adi Hütter’s position untenable.
