PSG might sack Mauricio Pochettino after already firing its Sporting Director: Reports


PSG might sack Mauricio Pochettino after already firing its Sporting Director: Reports

Mauricio Pochettino is on the brink of being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain less than 16 months after becoming manager of the new Ligue 1 champions, according to reports in France.

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The former Argentina international oversaw an underwhelming Champions League campaign during a first full season when he was able to call upon a supremely talented squad, including an extraordinary forward line containing Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe (MNM).

Mauricio Pochettino: Ex-Tottenham manager close to taking over as Paris  Saint-Germain boss | Football News | Sky Sports
PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino

The defeat to eventual champions Real Madrid in this season of the UCL which came after conceding three goals in the last 30 minutes of the tie, throwing away a two goal aggregate lead, reflected very poorly on his image in front of Nasser al Khalefi.

And while the Parisian side have secured the future of Kylian Mbappe for the next three years, it looks like they are leaning towards making a change in the hotseat.

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Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed the decision is imminent as their president returns to the club after some work related business in his home country of Qatar.

Romano tweeted: “Paris Saint-Germain are oriented to sacking Mauricio Pochettino in the coming days.”

What went wrong with Mauricio Pochettino at PSG?

Mauricio Pochettino: Ex-Tottenham boss open to next job being in any of  Europe's top-five leagues | Football News | Sky Sports
Mauricio Pochettino

1. Messi Mismanagement

Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi

While no one would dispute that Messi’s arrival in August 2021 was a huge coup for PSG, it also heaped pressure on Pochettino, who immediately acknowledged that his key challenge would be turning a constellation of marquee signings into a team reflecting its expensively assembled parts.

Football, unfortunately for Paris, is played on the pitch rather than paper, relying on teamwork rather than team sheets. The history of the game is full of fables about clubs who have woefully underperformed under the weight of expectations brought about as a consequence of containing individual superstars within their ranks.

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Excellent examples would be the English and Belgian footballing golden generations.

Messi is routinely accused of looking disinterested – usually after trudging forlornly off the pitch on nights such as the one Paris suffered in Madrid. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s stats this season certainly back up more casual observations that one of the greatest strikers ever has struggled for his formidable top form since he started working with Pochettino.

2. Inconsistency of MNM

Neymar, Messi, Mbappé: this is PSG total superstars's net worth | El  Futbolero US International Players
Neymar, Mbappe, and Messi for PSG

A beginner’s guide to managing the three of the most talented footballers in history might have advised Pochettino to massage the egos of Neymar , Messi ,and Mbappe, and that is the approach the coach took soon after accepting the job.

Neymar, in particular, is the subject of stories about being difficult to manage, and Pochettino rejected that idea, speaking of the joyfulness with which the flamboyant forward plays and trains – a familiar trait of Brazilians, the boss said – and pointing to his humility. He had just 18GA in 19 Ligue 1 appearances for PSG this season, very underwhelming of a star player of his capabilities.

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Neymar, Messi and Mbappe

Mbappe has been Pochettino’s regular spearhead and rewarded him with 33 goals and 22 assists in 42 appearances, doing nothing to deter Madrid since their final bid of about €222 million for him was rejected at the end of the summer transfer window on August 31 last year.

Several matches have underlined the difficulties Neymar, Messi ,and Mbappe have had at times under Mauricio Pochettino’s management. Paris’s performances have all too often made a mockery of all the talk of the trio forming a terrifying triumvirate together and shown how the realities of management depend on the vagaries of form, including their embarrassing UCL exit against eventual winners Real Madrid.

This all and some other factors mean that Mauricio Pochettino may as well have had managed his last game for PSG.

Also Read: Why did Lionel Messi have a poor first season at PSG?

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