Home Sport Mauricio Pochettino defends Messi’s removal in PSG win

Mauricio Pochettino defends Messi’s removal in PSG win

The coach replaced Messi with a defender with the game tied at 1-1 against Lyon

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Lyon's Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta is fouled by Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi during the French Ligue 1 match at The Parc des Princes on September 19, 2021. AFP
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Mauricio Pochettino, Paris Saint-Germain PSG head coach has defended his decision to drop Lionel Messi during the former Barcelona’s mixed home debut against Lyon on Sunday.

Messi was exceptional in the first half of the game at the Parc des Princes but started to lacklustre in the second half and was replaced with Achraf Hakimi in the final quarter-of-an-hour with a 1-1 scoreline.

Mauro Icardi’s injury-time header sealed the 2-1 victory for PSG.

“Everyone knows we have great players, a squad of 35. It is my decision. We can only have 11 players on the field at one time,” Pochettino said.

“I only think about the best decision in each game, for each player, just as every coach does.

“We are here to make decisions. Sometimes people will be happy with them, sometimes they won’t be.”

Messi seemed to fall into the second category, as he rejected Pochettino’s hand when he walked past his coach to the bench at the Parc des Princes.

Pochettino dismissed the idea that the Argentine was unhappy, saying: “I asked him how he was and he said he was fine.”

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is yet to score his first goal since his unprecedented move to PSG from Barcelona in the summer.

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Lyon’s Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta is fouled by Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi during the French Ligue 1 match at The Parc des Princes on September 19, 2021. AFP

Lucas Paqueta brilliantly gave Lyon the advantage in the 54th minute, before Neymar won and then converted from the spot in the second half of the exciting match at the Parc des Princes.
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“We deserved our victory, even if it was in the last second,” insisted PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino.

This win maintains a perfect start for PSG in Ligue 1 with six wins out of six this season putting them five points ahead of Marseille.

Lyon are already 10 points behind the leaders in ninth place.

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