PSG speak out on Mauricio Pochettino’s future after Real Madrid loss with Man Utd lurking

Carlo Ancelotti reacts to win over PSG

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Paris Saint-Germain’s sporting director Leonardo has declared that Mauricio Pochettino is ‘still part of the project’ at the club despite their incredible collapse at the hands of Real Madrid on Wednesday, which saw them dumped out of the Champions League.

Pochettino’s men went into the last-16 Champions League tie at the Bernabeu with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, courtesy of a last-gasp Kylian Mbappe winner at the Parc des Princes.

A superb first-half outing ensued from the French giants, with Mbappe scoring from a scintillating counter-attack to seemingly put them on the brink of advancing thanks to a 2-0 lead on aggregate.

Yet a defensive capitulation, a loss of mentality and a stirring Real fightback led to Karim Benzema scoring a hat-trick to completely turn the tie on its head in the second half.

PSG lost 3-2 on aggregate and Pochettino came under extreme criticism for not being able to control his players as they crumbled at the hands of the prolific Madrid attack.

But Leonardo has backed the Argentinian amid rumours that he could leave to join toManchester United in the summer – claiming he is ‘still part of the project’.

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“We shouldn’t throw everything in the bin,” Leonardo told RMC Sport after the defeat.

“We shouldn’t start from scratch after every loss. The objective is to win the Champions League, and until half-time we were fine.

“We have to look to improve this team and maintain morale to play in Ligue 1 and to finish the season well. We should stay together.

“Pochettino is still part of the project for this season. It’s not the time to think about that.”

Leonardo and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi were reportedly angered at the referee’s performance following what they perceived to be a foul on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Reports by Movistar claimed that Al-Khelaifi was seen hitting walls and shouting inside the dressing rooms.

Furthermore, he went to look for the match officials, only to find the wrong room and come across Madrid pitch official Megia Davila.

Davila recorded a video of the scene, with Al-Khelaifi believed to have threatened him by saying “I am going to kill you.”

Pochettino has been linked with a move to United ever since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left his post in November.

But the Argentine has not done himself any favours in terms of impressing Old Trafford chiefs after the loss.

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