Wayne Lumbasi
Paris Saint-Germain have sacked manager Mauricio Pochettino despite the former Tottenham Hotspur boss leading the team to the Ligue 1 title with the French club.
Pochettino took over at PSG in January 2021, replacing Thomas Tuchel – who departed to join Chelsea that same month. It was hoped that the Argentine would mould together a star-studded squad that boasted the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Marco Verratti and then Lionel Messi, who signed on a free transfer in the summer of 2021. However, Pochettino never won over his players, fans or the media in a difficult 18-month spell.
Pochettino failed miserably in the Champions League, which was the main priority for the club. The French side went out at the last-16 stage to eventual winners Real Madrid, throwing away a 2-0 aggregate advantage in the second leg as a 17-minute Karim Benzema hat-trick prompted their latest European disappointment.
PSG have now turned to Christophe Galtier as Pochettino’s replacement, with the 55-year-old agreeing a two-year contract with the club. The former Nice manager will now be tasked with taking over the club’s pursuit of a first ever Champions League title.
Galtier led Nice to fifth place after three and a half years at Lille, where he lifted the club clear of relegation, finished second in his first full season, fourth a year later and then won the title before resigning. It was Lille’s first Ligue 1 triumph in 10 years.
