In a revealing statement, Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino disclosed the major challenges and difficulties he faced in managing the Paris Saint-Germain locker room during his coaching stint in the 2021-2022 season, especially with the attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Neymar Jr.
According to his statements, Pochettino struggled with conflicting personalities and differing playing styles among these global stars, which created a complex environment within the Parisian team.
Pochettino explained in comments reported by the Spanish newspaper “Marca” that the difference in playing styles was clear between Messi and Mbappé. Messi, by his usual nature, preferred to build attacks from deep with a slow rhythm, relying on his exceptional ball control and dribbling ability.
However, this style did not suit Mbappé’s way of playing, who is characterized by rapid sprints and searching for spaces behind. Pochettino added: “When we recover the ball, Mbappé looks for open spaces and waits for the pass to use his exceptional speed. If we focus the play on Messi, Mbappé would tell me he can’t play that way because his advantage is his speed.”
This tactical difference in vision between Pochettino, Mbappé, and Messi was a constant challenge for the Argentine coach in his attempt to find the perfect balance.
The Argentine coach affirmed that he did not face similar problems with Neymar, who prefers retaining possession, but he stressed that combining the talents of this brilliant trio in one system was an extremely difficult task.
Despite the domestic successes that Pochettino, Mbappé, and Messi achieved with Paris Saint-Germain, where he led the team to win the treble of the league, the French Cup, and the French Super Cup, the management decided to dismiss him after the sudden exit in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid, in a decision that contradicted the club’s high ambitions in the most prestigious European tournament.
