Mauricio Pochettino admitted that the defeat to Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League was the turning point that led to his dismissal at PSG.
Pochettino previously managed PSG.
In an interview with L'Equipe , Mauricio Pochettino spoke frankly for the first time about the moment that sealed his fate at PSG. For the Argentinian coach, the defeat against Real Madrid in the 2021/22 Champions League round of 16 was a "death sentence".
At that point, PSG went into the second leg at Bernabeu with a lead after their 1-0 victory in the first leg. The French team even opened the scoring and maintained a good game until the beginning of the second half.
“We just needed a bit of luck at the Bernabéu. In the first leg, we won. In the second leg, we were still leading until the 61st minute. But after Karim Benzema's incident with Donnarumma, everything changed. That defeat was my death sentence,” Pochettino said.
The coach, born in 1972, believes that PSG were not at all at a disadvantage at that time. On the contrary, his team played well for most of the match, before collapsing due to crucial turning points.
“In Madrid, we were leading 1-0 and Mbappe even scored another goal, but it was disallowed for very close offside. Before that, the team played very well. But then, we dropped back and lost control of the game,” he shared.
That match quickly turned into a nightmare for PSG. Benzema scored three goals in quick succession, completing a comeback and eliminating the French side from the Champions League. It also marked the end of the European ambitions of the "Galacticos" project, built by the Qatari owners with Lionel Messi at its center.
Pochettino is considered one of the best coaches of recent years.
Despite leaving PSG amidst controversy, Pochettino doesn't harbor bitterness. He believes his time in Paris deserves to be recognized more fairly.
“Paris remains a fond memory. When we arrived in January, the team was affected by Covid-19, many players were injured, and we were third in Ligue 1. Those weren't ideal conditions for a new coaching staff,” he said.
Pochettino also highlighted PSG's achievements during that period. The team eliminated Barcelona and Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League semi-finals, despite missing several key players at crucial moments.
“We beat Barcelona, overcame Bayern Munich and reached the semi-finals against Manchester City. In the second leg, we didn't even have Mbappe. After that, the team was upgraded and played better,” he added.
Pochettino has managed PSG since 2021. In his first season, he failed to help the team defend their Ligue 1 title, losing to Lille. The following season, PSG signed a host of stars such as Messi, Donnarumma, and Sergio Ramos, but still failed in the Champions League.
The 2022 Ligue 1 title was the only bright spot before Pochettino left his post. For him, the defeat against Real Madrid was not just a loss, but a turning point that determined his entire journey in Paris.
Now that he's moved on to manage the US national team, Pochettino can look back on things with more composure. But the memory of Bernabéu, clearly, remains the deepest wound in his career.