Monaco winger Nabil Dirar has told Le Parisien that Radamel Falcao "must be kicking himself" for his summer move to Manchester United when he sees the Ligue 1 side in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Falcao, 29, joined Monaco in an estimated €60 million deal in the summer of 2013 only to make a loan switch to United a year later as he sought to play on a bigger stage than the often half-empty Stade Louis II.
The former Porto and Atletico Madrid forward's move to Old Trafford has not been the success he would have hoped, though, with just four goals coming in 12 Premier League starts as Falcao has failed to convince Louis van Gaal he is worth a regular place in the first XI.
By contrast, Monaco travel to Juventus on Tuesday night for the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie, and Dirar said: "I think Falcao must be kicking himself.
"Here, he would have played and participated in the Champions League, but perhaps he needed more atmosphere. At Monaco, he didn't feel good."
Dirar was the surprise choice of Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim to captain the side in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie with Arsenal as the Ligue 1 side enjoyed a surprise 3-1 win that eventually proved enough to take them through.
With Jeremy Toulalan, Monaco's usual captain, struggling with a hamstring injury, Dirar may once more be given the honour for the match in Turin, and he is hoping to lead his teammates in another upset.
"Juve don't have anything more than Arsenal," he said. "For me, the Gunners are even better than them. It's possible. We can go through against Juve."
Monaco conceded a competition-low one goal in the group stage, and Dirar said their defensive qualities will again be their most valuable weapon.
"I think we mustn't change the system," he said. "It's true that sometimes we don't play pretty football but, in Turin, we don't have to score, we only have to defend well. So we can go for the draw."
