Patrick Vieira Backs Thierry Henry to Save Monaco from Ligue 1 Relegation
Patrick Vieira believes his former Arsenal team-mate will succeed as manager of Monaco and prevent the club being relegated from Ligue 1.
Vieira, who is in charge of Nice, faces Henry's Monaco in league action on Wednesday. It's the first managerial meeting between two of Arsenal's greatest-ever players.
While Henry has struggled since replacing Leonardo Jardim back in October, Vieira thinks the 41-year-old will turn things around, per Richard Cooke of Sky Sports: "I believe that he will find a way to get the best out of his players and be successful."
Henry has struggled to get the mix between youth and experience right, as well as having to deal with a myriad of injuries. Monaco, who won the Ligue 1 title as recently as 2017, are second from bottom in the French top flight, four points clear of safety. They've also failed to register a home win.
Beating Riviera rivals Nice at home will be key, even if it comes at the expense of Vieira. The pair won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups as stalwarts of Arsenal's golden era under Arsene Wenger.
They also lifted the FIFA World Cup for France in 1998, as well as experiencing victory at UEFA Euro 2000.
Vieira admitted it will be "strange" going up against Henry, but he also conceded "we are both really excited about it."
The former Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City midfielder also reserved special praise for the man who used to play ahead of him for the Gunners. Vieira put Arsenal's record goalscorer alongside the greatest names in his country's history: "I would put him in the same level as [Zinedine] Zidane, Raymond Kopa or Michel Platini."
Henry hasn't hit the same heights in his maiden foray as a senior manager, and Vieira will be hoping to inflict more misery. Vieira needs the win, even though he has Nice a respectable eighth and just two points off a place in the top five.
However, trouble could be brewing for the ex-New York City FC boss after Nice's president and general manager revealed they will both leave the club imminently. The Guardian's Nick Ames said there were differences between the men who hired Vieira and the club's owners.
Ames also named Barnsley's Gauthier Ganaye as a candidate for a "senior role" in a new-look executive structure. The potential arrival will likely expect Vieira to make a strong early impression.
Vieira has also had to deal with temperamental striker Mario Balotelli, with rumours growing things have become fractious between manager and player.
Henry could be welcoming his fellow Arsenal icon to the Stade Louis II at just the right time. Even so, he has said they will have to put their affinity on hold for this crunch encounter:
While Henry needs the points, the rules of Ligue 1 seem set to work against him. He won't be able to field new signings Naldo, Fode Ballo-Toure and another former Arsenal ace, Cesc Fabregas.
The trio are ineligible because this is a rearranged fixture after fuel protests caused its postponement back in December. Henry said the rule "must be respected," per Monaco's official website (h/t Eurosport).
While Fabregas, who joined from Chelsea earlier this month, will miss out on Wednesday, his performances could save Monaco from the drop. The astute playmaker's technique and eye for a defence-splitting pass make him a creative fulcrum Henry can build both a team and style of play around.
His arrival is also viewed by some as an endorsement of what Henry brings as a manager, despite his inexperience:
Henry would no doubt prefer to kickstart Monaco's survival bid against a manager with whom he doesn't share so much favourable history. Yet both he and Vieira are smart enough to know they each need a result from this intriguing Cote d'Azur derby to prove to their doubters they can be successful for the long haul.
