Leonardo Jardim: 'Monaco want to be on the podium at the end of the season'

AS Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim has claimed that his team's victory over Bastia was an important step in the development of his young side.

Les Rouges et Blanc needed two goals from Lacina Traore in the final 18 minutes to beat the Corsican side.

However, Jardim has admitted that he is not expecting his side to be in the top three before Christmas, but does want Monaco to be "on the podium" by the end of the season.

He is quoted by Ligue 1's official website as saying: "It is always good to win and three victories in five matches is a good return. The team is progressing.

"We needed to be patient against a Bastia side who are solid at home. We were aggressive and I was never worried about the way we were playing in the first half. Bastia played with more intensity than us but we were not bad.

"This is an important victory because we achieved it with a lot of young players, which corresponds to the club's project of developing youngsters. Our objective is to be on the podium, not at the winter break but after week 38. My team is going to progress."

Monaco's win saw them move into fifth place.