Lionel Messi Has 'Doubts' Over Mauricio Pochettino's Management Of PSG

Posted Tuesday, December 07, 2021 by sportbible

Lionel Messi has created more questions over Mauricio Pochettino's future as PSG manager, with claims the forward and his entourage have doubts about the Argentine.

Pochettino was appointed PSG boss at the beginning of 2020, following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel, and failed to win Ligue 1 last season.

The demands on the former Tottenham Hotspur man increased in the summer due to the club's incredible transfer window that included signing Messi from Barcelona.

There were reports that Poch was ready to head back to north London but he stayed put, in pursuit of his first major silverware as a manger.

Things haven't been perfect at the Parc des Paris, despite the team leading Ligue 1, and according to the latest report, Messi's entourage are seriously unimpressed with Pochettino.

According to L'Equipe, via Get French Football, Messi and his people have worries about the manager's tactical aptitude and the team's current game plan.

Pochettino has struggled with tactics and the use of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe as a front three has caused the 49-year-old problems.

Their lack of effort to close down defenders, and defend from the front, was questioned following the recent Champions League defeat to Manchester City.

In domestic games the team has been even more attack minded in their set up, with one of three central midfielders sacrificed for Angel di Maria.

Neymar is now out for an extended period, but it's still been a struggle for the manager to bring balance to his team with recurring issues in Marco Verratti's fitness.

The manager is yet to use the same XI more than once and there is worries that Pochettino hasn't been able to change things enough in games.

After back-to-back draws in the league, it's believed that Pochettino could soon move to a 3-4-3 system that he has so far only moved to in the middle of games but is yet to start with the formation.

Questions over Pochettino's ability could help Manchester United in their reported long term pursuit of the former Southampton gaffer.

He was linked with the role again after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked, having previously been linked before the Norwegian took over, and rumours suggested he was ready to end his time in France early to take over.

That never came to fruition, with Ralf Rangnick being appointed as interim until the end of the season, but Messi's continued displeasure at the manager could certainly speed up his exit from Paris.