“We hope they will leave their anger aside” – Mauricio Pochettino urges PSG fans to back club ahead of important Marseille clash
Paris Saint Germain (PSG) head coach Mauricio Pochettino hopes the club's fans will give them their full support against Olympique Marseille on Sunday. He stated that he hoped fans would "leave their anger aside" ahead of the big game.
Supporters have been less than satisfied with the club and the group of players representing it due to their recurring failure to win the Champions League. Last month, PSG superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar were booed by the crowd present at the Parc de Princes in their game against Bordeaux.
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In their 5-1 win over Lorient last week, former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos received the same treatment.
Pochettino spoke to L'Equipe in the build-up to their upcoming clash. He was asked about the roles their fans can play in this fiesty fixture against Olympique Marseille. The Argentine said:
"We know that they are not happy, we are in a democracy, they have the right to demonstrate, to contest. We hope that they will leave their anger aside, it is important to give an image of us, welded for 90 minutes. We understand that there can be criticism but it must be constructive for the club to improve."
Further, the PSG boss was also asked about the importance of their clash against Marseille and how it differs from any other game. The Argentine addressed the question by recalling his experience back from his playing days when he used to wear Parisian colors. He added:
"21 years ago, when I signed for this club, I understood that this match was different. It's still special to play against Marseille. I was captain now I'm a coach, I'm proud of what I gave and what I can give for this club. Sunday is not another game. It's a special match. I hope the fans will be with us."
The two sides first met back in October in this season's Ligue 1 in what was an entertaining affair that ended in a 0-0 stalemate. The strikers on both sides will be eager to get on the scoresheet this time.
PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe's future still unresolved
The speculation around the French sensation's future at Parc de Princes has picked up pace in the last month. This is especially so after the club crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid.
The La Liga giants made a bid for Mbappe last summer but PSG were somehow able to hold on to their star, as per ESPN.
He will be a free agent in the summer and is yet to make a decision on whether he will continue in France or leave for his dream destination. The Parisians are doing everything they can behind the scenes by offering him ridiculous wage packages. They are also considering giving him the captain's armband as an additional incentive, as per Marca.
When Kylian Mbappe succeed in Real Madrid, this photo will go down as one of the greatest Real Madrid picture ever.
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The PSG forward has scored 31 goals and assisted a further 22 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions so far this season. Only time will tell whether the formidable trio of Lionel Messi-Neymar-Mbappe will spend another season together.