AS Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim has paid tribute to Radamel Falcao for silencing his critics this season.

The Colombian international's career took a nose-dive between 2014 and 2016, scoring just five times across two separate loan spells with Manchester United and Chelsea.

Falcao returned to Monaco last summer, however, and has netted 24 times in 29 appearances for the Red and Whites this season, which has helped them to the top of Ligue 1 ahead of champions Paris Saint-Germain.

The 31-year-old also scored twice against Manchester City in the last-16 stage of the Champions League earlier this week, although he also missed a penalty in Monaco's 5-3 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

"Falcao is very important for us. We have done a lot of work with him to get him ready to compete again and things are going very well. I am very happy that he has rediscovered his level of before," Jardim told reporters.

"A lot of people were sceptical about his chances of getting back to his best. He deserves all the praise he has been getting. His second goal against Manchester City was the goal of the season.

"Falcao will continue to take penalties. I am someone who knows how things work in life. There are times when things go well and sometimes there are complicated moments. We cannot criticise a player who gives you so much in return."

Falcao joined Monaco in a £50m deal from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2013.