PSG Fires Tuchel, Reportedly Closing on a Deal With Pochettino

Thomas Tuchel is no longer PSG’s head coach, and according to the sources, Mauricio Pochettino will replace the German colleague.

The French champions revealed earlier today that they decided to fire Tuchel following a poor start, which saw PSG heading to the winter break being third in the standings. They are one point behind Lyon and Lille, whom they faced recently, winning just one point in those two contests.

Tuchel came to Paris in 2018, replacing Uani Emery following a disastrous campaign during which PSG suffered an elimination against Barcelona in the Champions League even though they defeated the Spaniards 4-0 in the first leg.

Since then, he won six trophies with the Saints, among them two French Ligue 1 titles, while also reaching the Champions League finals in 2020. PSG lost to Bayern in the title-game, 0-1, with Kingsley Coman, a former Saints’ player, netting the only goal.

It comes a day after they won 4-0 against Strasbourg.

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 24, 2020

It seems that Tuchel and the board, especially the sporting director, Leonardo, didn’t have a nice relationship, with the German often criticizing or at least making some inappropriate comments regarding the club policies.

What was also a reason for the German departure were the alleged disagreements with some of the team’s leading players. Reportedly some of the most sounding names in the locker room wanted the head coach out, and the board was in a position where they had to react and back up the team, not their coach.

Tuchel is known as a manager of strict rules and principles, not willing to back out from his intentions regardless of the consequences. In May 2017, just 72 hours after winning the German DFB Pokal, he decided to leave Borussia Dortmund, because he had misunderstandings with the club executives.

It could be that there is something wrong with the German, but on the other side, his actions could be in place, but for now, we won’t know too much about that.

Per French and European media, the replacement is already in position, and that should be the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, Mauricio Pochettino. Not only is he the most sounding name on the market, but also a former Saints’ player. The Argentinian appeared for the Parisians from 2001 to 2003, winning the Intertoto Cup in his first season and reaching the finals of the French Cup.

Poch was a wish of the PSG’s president Nasser El-Khalifi, who allegedly already made some contacts with him two weeks ago.

Mauricio Pochettino has been tipped to become the next Paris Saint Germain boss.#PSG#Pochettino#Tuchel pic.twitter.com/ViHbL7gvFc

— BettingStack (@BettingStack) December 24, 2020

The 48-year old Pochettino didn’t work since November 2019, once Tottenham fired him after five years in the club. During that time, the Spurs didn’t win anything. Still, they managed to become a continental powerhouse, finishing in the Premiership’s top for several years in a row, and reaching the Champions League finals.

Many expected him to take over Barcelona during the offseason, but he didn’t accept the role. Also, each time some notable team searched for a manager, Pochettino was in the combinations. His comments about coming back to England were interpreted as a signal that he wishes to work at one EPL club, but it seems that it won’t be the case.