It is the strong image of the shock PSG–OL played on Sunday at the end of the 6th day of Ligue 1. Replaced at the start of the last quarter of an hour by Achraf Hakimi, Lionel Messi then clearly expressed his dissatisfaction. Ignoring the hand extended by Mauricio Pochettino, the former Barcelonan indeed went to sit on the bench with his face closed, not without having split one or two disapproving pouts during a brief exchange with the Argentinian technician.

Mauricio Pochettino’s reaction was inevitably eagerly awaited. Present at a press conference, the former central defender did not evade the subject, half-acknowledging the dissatisfaction of his star player but assuming his decision to bring out his star player, yet passed very close to open his counter goals in the first period with a free kick sent to the square and a face-to-face beautifully stopped by Anthony Lopes.

He was fine, no problem

“I think everyone knows that we have a lot of very good players, with a workforce of 35 people, he thus explained. We have to make choices, in the group and then in the match, thinking of the best for the team and for each player. Sometimes the decisions are positive or not, but that’s why we coach and stand next to the sidelines, to make decisions. It may or may not like it. “

And the Parisian coach to reveal the content of their brief exchange at the time of the exit of the Argentinian playmaker. “I asked him how he was, he told me he was fine, no problem”, he confided, refusing to see the beginning of a problem in this episode. And Mauricio Pochettino could be satisfied with his coaching since it was one of the players who entered the game, Mauro Icardi, who offered the victory to the Parisians in added time.