"We will not change the past" - PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino aims to wrap up Ligue 1 title race after Champions League exit
PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino is aiming to clinch the Ligue 1 title following his side's disappointing exits from other competitions.
The Parisians were knocked out of the Coupe de France in January after losing to Nice on penalties (6-5) in the Round of 16. They were then eliminated from the UEFA Champions League after suffering a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid in the Round of 16 last Wednesday.
The French giants were up 2-0 on aggregate against Los Blancos in the second leg. However, they were still knocked out of the competition after Karim Benzema netted a stunning second-half hat-trick to complete a memorable turnaround.
There is no way Maurocio Pochettino manages PSG next season.
PSG now only have the Ligue 1 title to play for. They hold a 15-point lead at the top of the league table with just 10 games remaining in the campaign.
The Parc des Princes outfit beat Bordeaux 3-0 on Sunday, courtesy of goals from Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Leandro Paredes, thereby consolidating their position in the standings.
Pochettino is under tremendous pressure after his side's exit from the Champions League. However, all's not lost yet as the league title is seemingly heading to Paris.
After their win over Bordeaux, the Argentine said (via PSG Talk):
“We are a team, we are all together."
“It’s a really sad situation. The focus is to win the title. We are ahead of our runner-up. The situation is difficult, we will not change the past. We must try to concentrate and win the title but also the next games.”
PSG return to action on Sunday for an enticing league encounter with rivals AS Monaco at the Stade Louis II.
PSG boss may not continue beyond this season
PSG are firmly on course to win the Ligue 1 title after losing out on it last year to Lille. However, that's hardly considered an accomplishment by the club's board.
The Parisian giants have dominated the French top flight since the Qatari takeover in 2011, winning seven of 11 titles since the 2010-11 season. However, the Champions League continues to elude them.
Champions League glory has been their biggest goal, and expectations have been high this season following a summer of marquee signings, including that of Lionel Messi.
Diego Simeone is one of the candidates to possibly replace Mauricio Pochettino. This via l'Équipe. https://t.co/aYR1D01yyE
However, the Parisians once again fell woefully short of their ambitions, bowing out of the competition despite coming into the last-16 second leg with a 1-0 advantage.
It's hard to see Pochettino survive such a poor outcome in Europe, with the fate of his predecessors serving as a grim precedent.
He's well on course to lift the first league title of his managerial career, but it may not be enough for him to extend his stay at the club.