Radoslaw Majecki ‘not surprised’ after claiming Monaco No.1 jersey

“Even in Poland, it was hard.” Indeed, whether it be in his home country or abroad, AS Monaco’s Radoslaw Majecki (24) has been in a perpetual fight for the No.1 jersey. 

After making the move from Legia Warsaw, he wouldn’t have expected to have gone straight into the starting line-up, but nor would he have expected to have waited so long. After featuring for Monaco on just 11 occasions in his first two seasons at the club, the Polish goalkeeper, who hasn’t featured for his national team since 2021, became increasingly eager to showcase his talents. 

Having publically emphasised the need for game time and deplored his “situation” at the club in December 2021, Majecki’s career was at a crossroads in the summer of 2022. “I know that I will be the No.1 next season. If it is not here, I will have to change club, either on loan or on a permanent transfer,” he said during the 2021/22 campaign. 

Ultimately, with Alexander Nübel’s status as No.1 uncontested, it was a loan move that awaited Majecki, who made the move to Monaco’s satellite club, Cercle Brugge. It was in Belgium that he got his season back on track, making 34 appearances over the course of his one-year loan spell.  “Before moving to Cercle, I was on the bench for two years and wanted minutes; I needed some minutes in the tank,” he said in a press conference on Thursday.

When he returned to the Principality club in the summer, Bayern Munich loanee Nübel was no longer there, but his replacement, Philipp Köhn was handed the No.1 jersey.  “I had one conversation with the coach; I spoke with Adi about this. It was clear that I was the No.2 at the beginning but anything could happen,”said Majecki, whose chance to impress was largely out of his hands. A chance would only