"It's time to discover each other, to adapt," swore Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday, during his first press conference as PSG coach.
The 48-year-old Argentinian technician, back in Paris 17 and a half years after his departure as a player, must however already go from theory to practice with this trip to Saint-Etienne this Wednesday (9 p.m.), during the 18th day of Ligue 1. The first match in a series of nine until the knockout stages of the Champions League in Barcelona on February 16.
Suddenly, we will probably have to wait before seeing the leg Pochettino ... "The schedule is thus made, blows the former coach of Tottenham.
The requirements are high in a club like PSG.
We rely on all the departments of the club to optimize the performance of the players. "
And in particular on the staffs in charge of medical and performance, who survived the departure of Thomas Tuchel.
Pochettino says it all, he who is accompanied by Miguel D'Agostino, Jesus Perez, Toni Jimenez and his son Sebastiano Pochettino in Paris.
Nine absent in Saint-Etienne
All these beautiful people will have a particular mission to put an end to the rain of injuries that has hit Paris since the start of the season.
Moreover, Neymar Jr (ankle), Mauro Icardi (adductors), Layvin Kurzawa (hamstrings), Danilo Pereira (hamstrings), Presnel Kimpembe (hamstrings), Leandro Paredes (hip), Alessandro Florenzi (ankle ), Juan Bernat (knee) and Rafinha (Covid-19) will be absent this Wednesday in the Forez.
Abdou Diallo and Pablo Sarabia, they are operational.
“It's a new period, with new technical staff.
But there are structures in place and they are very good, with very great professionals.
We have to find an operation, a dynamic to try to optimize, recover the players as quickly as possible but also in the long term ”, summarizes Pochettino.
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Training began on Sunday, with sessions described as very intense.
It's no surprise: the former PSG captain is known to be demanding on the pitch, but also in training.
For the rest, various sources report that he worked on a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 pattern, with Marco Verratti in the heart of the game, or even downright in 10. “We'll have to tell me who told you all that (smile) ”, he jokes, before discussing his“ flexibility ”in terms of tactics.
“Football is an open and dynamic game.
Positions vary during the meeting.
We have to put the players in the best situations to give the team a better balance, ”he says.
We will not know much more about the positioning of Neymar or Kylian Mbappé.
However, we know that Marquinhos is called upon to keep the armband.
"I do not like to talk about system, but about animation", he explains again, him whose game aims to press high, to multiply the races and to clean by starting again from behind.
"We want to win, but with the manner," he claimed on the club media from last weekend.
“Messi at PSG? Santa Claus has already been generous with me, with us ”
Mauricio Pochettino
And the transfer window?
The former defender turns into an outstanding dribbler when it comes to his former players Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, or rumored Lionel Messi.
“Santa Claus has already been generous with me, with us, to allow us to have the opportunity to be in a club like PSG.
Now is the time to adapt and we will leave the rumors for later, ”he said about the Pulga.
Note that the latest news, it is more about departures than arrivals.
"All the great players are welcome at PSG", nonetheless dropped Pochettino, who admits to discussing "every day with Leonardo".
"When we have all the cards in hand, we will make a decision," he said of the transfer window.
Lyon in the lead ahead of Lille and PSG
In the meantime, make way for the Greens.
"We are happy to be back in competition, to meet a historic club like Saint-Etienne, trained by a coach (Claude Puel) that we know very well because we have faced him several times in England (with Southampton and Leicester , editor's note).
It is a team which has clear playing principles, "Judge Pochettino, who knows that" for PSG and all the clubs, the Champions League is the most important competition.
But the other competitions are too. ”
L1 is all the more so as Lyon and Lille are ahead in the standings.
It will soon be time to think about Barça, a double-confrontation that the Argentine coach will approach with "confidence" and "respect for the opponent".
“Barcelona are also one of the biggest clubs in the world.
It will be hard.
But it will also be hard (in Saint-Etienne), ”he swears.
Maybe a little less anyway ... Especially since ASSE has not beaten Paris since 2012 (10 wins for PSG, 4 draws, 0 defeat).
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League 1 standings