The contours of the new PSG are emerging: Mbappé, less "bling-bling", and Christophe Galtier at the controls.

Paris formalized Tuesday July 5, at the end of an interminable soap opera, the departure of the Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino in favor of the former coach of Nice.

Like all its predecessors, "Galette" will have a priority objective: the Champions League.

The negotiation to oust "Poche", who was under contract until 2023, ended up being successful and the club gave him a laconic farewell on Tuesday at midday on its website, just before a press conference presenting Galtier scheduled Tuesday at the beginning of the afternoon.

🎙 Press conference at the Parc des Princes 🔴🔵 https://t.co/GYpGUcuZQE

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) July 5, 2022

The Frenchman (55), who according to a source familiar with the case has signed up for two seasons with the French champion, is expected at 2 p.m. at the Parc des Princes.

He is the symbol of a new approach, less "bling-bling", for the Parisian club, even if the former coach of OGC Nice has, like "Poche", a luxury workforce.

Pochettino "thanked"

It therefore took a month and a half, after the resounding announcement of the extension of superstar Kylian Mbappé, for the flagship of Qatar Sport Investment (QSI) to complete the almost complete overhaul of its organization chart.

"Paris Saint-Germain confirms that it has put an end to its collaboration with Mauricio Pochettino," wrote PSG in a short press release, adding "thank" the Argentinian and his deputies.

It is this long process of breaking up with "Poche" (50 years old), appointed in January 2021, which prevented PSG from advancing earlier on the sports site of the first team.

Paris Saint-Germain confirms that it has ended its collaboration with Mauricio Pochettino.



The Club would like to thank Mauricio Pochettino and his staff for their work and wish them the best for the future.

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) July 5, 2022

Since Monday evening, the arrival of Christophe Galtier was nevertheless an open secret, since the former Nice coach appeared in front of the cameras and the supporters, alongside the new sports adviser Luis Campos, in the courtyard of the "Factory ", the club's administrative headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, south-west of Paris.

The Campos-Galtier duo knows each other well for having worked together in Lille, laying the groundwork for Losc's surprise title in Ligue 1 in 2021. It must symbolize the "end of glitter" and the return to "reality", promised by the Parisian President Nasser Al-KhelaĂŻfi in an interview with Le Parisien.

The Qatari leader has chosen to hire one of the most regular technicians of the last decade in France, but probably also the least experienced coach on the European scene of the QSI era.

"Galette" was snatched from Ineos' Nice project, after a single correct, but not extraordinary, season.

The technician took his team to the final of the Coupe de France, lost against Nantes (1-0), and to fifth place in L1, synonymous with the Europa League Conference.

The negotiations were tough: it was first necessary to find a financial agreement with the Nice club, reluctant to let go of its free coach, despite a mixed season.

Then negotiate the departure of Pochettino and his staff, who had one year of contract left: this eviction, finally formalized on Tuesday, prevented PSG from formalizing the arrival of Galtier earlier, even though Nice had announced his departure since June 27.

The tenacious rumor of Zidane

At the same time, the tenacious rumor of the arrival of Zinedine Zidane was difficult to extinguish.

President Al-KhelaĂŻfi tried to do so in an interview with the daily Le Parisien, assuring that he had "never" explored this track, preferring a coach "who will be the best for what we want to put in place" .

Galtier becomes the third Frenchman of the Qatari era, after Antoine Koumbouaré, quickly landed in 2011, and Laurent Blanc (2014-16).

Reputed to be a good leader of men, even if he has never had so many stars under his command (Messi, Neymar, Mbappé ...), this native of Marseilles has a lot to prove: he suffers from European experience limited, with no victory in six Champions League games, the competition that Qatari owners are obsessed with.

Known for relying on solid defenses and very fast counterattacks, Galtier will quickly be able to communicate his plans to the big names in the Parisian group.

The players have indeed been back for 24 hours at the training center, with the resumption on Tuesday of Neymar, Lionel Messi, Marquinhos and goalkeepers Gianluigi Donnarumma and Keylor Navas, after that, Monday, of Marco Verratti, Sergio Ramos, Mauro Icardi or even Georginio Wijnaldum.

The first recruit of the new era, the Portuguese Vitinha, is also already there.

The preparation of the Parisians for the 2022-2023 season will go through a friendly match against Quevilly-Rouen (L2) on July 15 (5 p.m.), then a tour of Japan from July 16.

The first official meeting is scheduled in Tel Aviv for the Champions Trophy, July 31 against Nantes.

With AFP

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