The future of Mauricio Pochettino as Paris St-Germain’s head coach is hanging by a thread, further raising the likelihood that he will seek to become Manchester United’s next manager.
It follows PSG’s dramatic Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid, who he has also been linked to. Pochettino already features prominently on United’s shortlist and there is an expectation that he will leave PSG at the end of this season.
Such a capitulation, however, with PSG surrendering a 2-0 lead and Karim Benzema scoring a stunning hat-trick to earn Real a place in the quarter-finals, may hasten his exit. It certainly means PSG are less likely to fight to keep Pochettino.
There will be demands within French media for him to go immediately and PSG have been considering a change for some time, with doubts over whether Pochettino has settled in Paris – he only recently moved out of a hotel – or is the right coach to take them forward.
PSG should regain the French league – they are 13 points clear – but Pochettino was under severe pressure to do well in the Champions League and, after this latest disappointment, admits that he now faces a difficult and uncertain time ahead. “The next few weeks are not going to be easy,” he said, before refusing to talk about his future or that of Kylian Mbappe.
“It’s simply impossible to discuss about it now, it’s not the right moment. We’re really disappointed,” Pochettino added.
Mbappe is out of contract at the end of this season, with Real confident that he will sign for them. He has held talks with PSG over a new short-term deal but losing this tie will undoubtedly damage their chances.
“Paris St-Germain have been chasing the Champions League for a number of years now. I’m really disappointed, upset – but these things can happen,” Pochettino said.
United would have moved for Pochettino, who is favoured by many players at Old Trafford, last autumn following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but knew that PSG would not release their coach during the season. PSG triggered a contract extension, taking Pochettino to the summer of 2023, amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur last summer. But there have always been doubts as to whether PSG would want to keep him for the full term of his contract.
United have also been considering other candidates, with Ajax coach Erik ten Hag featuring prominently on their list, and it may even be that the nature of this collapse counts against Pochettino, who failed to win the French league last season and exited the Champions League in the semi-finals.
Last week, United’s football director John Murtough revealed the club had started a “thorough process” to appoint their next manager and it is understood contact has now been made with a number of candidates. At some stage United will want to speak to Pochettino.
The Argentinian raged about Real’s first goal, claiming Benzema fouled goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, and said it changed the tie. “It’s not possible to not talk about this very bad error, it’s not possible that this happens in 2022,” he said. “It changed the game. I asked what was Var doing. After that it was game changed.”
PSG Sporting Director Leonardo said on Pochettino’s future: “Pochettino is still part of the project for this season. It’s not the time to think about that.”
Leonardo’s own future, however, is believed to be in doubt while sources suggest PSG are considering a move for Zinedine Zidane as their next coach.
