Mauricio Pochettino showed great gentleness after the MNM’s first miss on Tuesday in Bruges (1-1), even praising their defensive efforts.
Expectations were bound to be high around Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. Too much, no doubt. For its grand premiere in Bruges, the MNM indeed delivered a very disappointing performance, the three men struggling in particular to combine, and the PSG had to settle for a draw (1-1). The Parisian star trio has also suffered from the comparison with their opponents, whose attacking game has sometimes been exciting. While Neymar confirmed a more than precarious state of form, Kylian Mbappé, decisive passer on the goal of Ander Herrera, and Lionel Messi, who found the bar on a curled strike wonder and offered a goal ball to the world champion tricolor, have had a few flashes, but the results are obviously very insufficient.
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Questioned at a press conference, Mauricio Pochettino nevertheless took care not to overwhelm his attackers, asking for time for the three friends to agree. “They need competition, to know each other, to understand each other, to play together to succeed all three but that was not the problem tonight”, he confided, being satisfied even with their involvement in the defensive replacement, however failing. “I am happy with the defensive effort of the attackers”, he said.
We need time
For the Argentine technician, who did not hesitate to leave Leandro Paredes and Georginio Wijnaldum at the break in favor of Danilo Pereira and Julian Draxler, the problem was indeed more global. “We must be stronger in other areas of the game”, he explained, adding: “We weren’t strong enough in a Champions League match. We are not happy with the result and the performance, we know we have to do better. “ Before again to ask for time.
“We have a magnificent group of players, we now have to find a defensive and offensive organization. We need time ”, he insisted. And this while looming the reception of Olympique Lyonnais, Sunday, for the closing match of the 6e day of Ligue 1, and, in two weeks, that of Manchester City, which crushed Leipzig (6-3).
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