"It is inadmissible" - PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino delivers honest verdict on team's performance in 3-0 loss to Monaco

Mauricio Pochettino was not a happy man after PSG's 3-0 loss to AS Monaco on Sunday. The Argentine manager claimed the first half cost his side the game as they were extremely poor.

PSG are still on top of Ligue1 and in the driver's seat to win the league title this season. However, their lead at the top was cut from 15 to 12 points after Marseille's win over third placed Nice.

C'est terminé. Le @PSG_inside s'incline à Monaco.

#ASMPSG https://t.co/CBaJlrnshB

Pochettino was speaking with the media after the loss when he admitted that the first-half performance was poor. He added that the second half was much better, but they were not good enough to win the game.

"Yes, it is inadmissible to start this way. Afterwards, there is sporting shame. Now you have to move on, get over the frustration of the Champions League and think about giving your best. And have a competitive spirit. As I said, this is unacceptable. This first half is unacceptable. We didn't have a fighting spirit, against a team that was affected. The way we played is not acceptable.

"At this level of competition, you can't start a match like we did. We can be happy to be 1-0 at half-time, because there could have been 2 or 3-0 already. In the second half, it was better, we created chances there, but our first half penalised us. I think it's really not acceptable to start a game the way we did. It is clear that what happened in the Champions League did a lot of harm.

"The team clearly needs to break free from this. This prevents us from expressing our best performance. This international break should allow us to change the mentality and put us back in place. We have to come back to the game with this responsibility that exists when wearing this shirt."

What next for PSG?

PSG have nothing but the league to play for this season they were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid earlier this month.

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#ASMPSG https://t.co/Sy1Wf1WpSz

In January, the French giants were knocked out of the Coupe de France by Nice, who are now in the final waiting to face Nantes.