Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) boss Mauricio Pochettino has opened up about his experience of coaching one of the greatest footballers of all time - Lionel Messi.
Coaching one of football's greatest players of all time, Lionel Messi, would be a treat for every manager in the sport. And former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager Mauricio Pochettino has opened up about his experience in the French capital, months after he was sacked from the Parisian club despite clinching the Ligue 1 championship last season. In an in-depth interview with Spanish media outlet Relevo, the Argentinian spoke about how coaching his compatriot, and the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner felt.
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Pochettino has previously coached against Messi, but in 2021, the Argentine got the chance to have the former FC Barcelona legend on his side of the field. He compared it to when he had the late Diego Maradona as a teammate. The Argentine also mentioned the veteran forward's difficulties in his debut season in Paris after moving there from the Catalan abruptly.
"It's like when I had Maradona as a teammate," Pochettino said. "I have the best next to me; let's give the ball to him. In Paris, the first season especially, that was missing."
"Give it to Messi; there is no need to do certain things if you have a player as decisive as him. It was a satisfaction being his coach, despite the fact that he was his age, he came from the Copa América after a month and a half of a traumatic situation with his departure from Barça after 20 years," Pochettino added.
Messi has regained the form that many people had come to expect of him under new PSG boss Christophe Galtier. But regardless of whether Pochettino was to blame or if Messi simply needed more time to adjust, PSG is getting the best out of him in the ongoing campaign.
The Spanish publication compared Messi to Maradona and asked the 50-year-old if the 35-year-old forward was to win the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar would that make him the greatest Argentine football player ever? Instead of offering a viewpoint on this discussion, Pochettino offered a political response.
"For me, that debate never existed," Pochettino added. "They are the best in their respective contexts. How do we measure it? According to results? If he won the World Cup? Ballon d'Or? Both are in the same place and it is in the first position."