Mauricio Pochettino knows that on February 15 his PSG will have a decisive test to know the scope of the Parisian potential. That day he will play in the Parc des Princes the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 and for that reason last night he went through Cadena SER to review the news about himself and Real Madrid ahead of that match. Messi, Mbappé, Neymar, the possible loss of Benzema… All this was dealt with by the Argentine coach.
Mbappe’s future
“I can have my opinion, but I don’t think that such an important decision goes through a game. Or an elimination round. He is an intelligent, mature boy, with a tremendous capacity for analysis and knowing perfectly what he wants for his future. He has a lot of people around him who are sure to advise him in the best way. I don’t think that’s the case. I see him calm, focused on doing the best he can for PSG. You have to respect him, he’ll make a decision after the tie”.
Messi and his state of form
“Leo is a genius, he is something out of the ordinary, he is one of the players who come out every 100 years in football. What he has contributed to the team is incredible, beyond the fact that since he arrived he has not been lucky enough to be benefited by the circumstances. But he always maintained his calm and knowing how to be, he is in his fullness, at his best moment of maturity, I think he reaches this decisive part of the season at his best moment. I have no doubt that he will show His best version He wants to compete, it’s in his DNA, he loves to compete and wants to win everything in training, competing, and I have no doubt that he wants to win the Champions League.
Will Neymar make it to the match?
Maybe yes, maybe not. His evolution is being fantastic, I see him close to coming back. We will see the next few days, they will be key to knowing if he can be involved in Tuesday’s game. Without a doubt, if he is he should be a starter. His magic is more than evident, when you see him train constantly he generates unexpected situations and he has that magic that everyone knows to be able to transmit them on a field when he is at his best level, especially physically”.
Doubts with Benzema
“We are always aware of the rival, but we are not obsessive. We think that Madrid, due to its history and that intrinsic strength that it has as a club, after winning 13 European Cups, is a rival that must always be respected, regardless of the players on the pitch. Real Madrid is a force superior to any player. But yes, if we talk about Benzema, we are talking about an extraordinary player, one of the best strikers in the world, and logically in attack it is different if Benzema is there or if he’s not there. But the Madrid squad has players who can replace him.”
Criticism as PSG coach
“We have a good relationship with the press, the journalists are friendly. The PSG coach is a perfect target for everyone. When I look at Tuchel, Emery, Ancelotti… In the end he is the weakest part, we always are. the coaches, the most easily criticized, the ones who best carry the frustration”.
Zidane sounds
“I don’t know, it’s not up to me to decide. But he’s a great coach, he’s shown it at Madrid and he can train any team in the world. Besides, he’s French. But I don’t know, it would be more of a question for our director. sports or our president”.
Sergio Ramos and his physical problems
“He has suffered some relapses, when it seemed that he could hook a good period. We will see if he arrives, and if not for the return. He is an important player, he is transmitting his experience to us. He is a boy who lives it with tremendous passion, who always works to the maximum. It would be good for him to have a period to recover, without relapsing more. I understand that there are different opinions about him, but with his mentality, he will surely achieve it.”
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