Pochettino fears a fight of egos in the locker room

For any coach it would be a dream that, at one stroke, planetary stars such as Leo Messi, Sergio Ramos, ‘Gigi’ Donnarumma, Giorgionio Wijnaldum or Achraf Hakimi were signed for his team. However, filling a team of leaders also has its drawbacks. And it is that you have to know how to fight certain situations so that the fight of egos does not end up making the project explode, a situation in which Mauricio Pochettino finds himself at the moment. The former FC Barcelona and Real Madrid players come from being captains, the Italian goalkeeper has played everything in Milan, and both Wijnaldum and Achraf have been indispensable pieces in both champion teams.

However, the main problem for the Argentine coach is up front. Although the Messi-Neymar-Mbappé trident in attack is non-negotiable, managing the importance of each one on the field, and outside it, will be the key for Paris to end the season lifting trophies. Although there are teams that have only one leader, this Paris Saint-Germain has three candidates with the same possibilities (and qualities to be). But beyond how the hierarchies are distributed among the players themselves, Pochettino will be in charge of balancing a team full of talent, but above all offensive.

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“We have to be aware that we have several big names that shine individually, but those names must balance the team. We must find the best way to get them to act together “, said the Argentine after the 2-4 victory of the Parisians against Brest. And all this with the ‘Mbappé case’ flying over the Parc des Princes and with the Parisian team having various gestures that place it in the third important step of the attackers’ triplet. That is why, although they will work “to find that balance”, the PSG coach knows that “It is going to be very hard work and we are going to need time to put all these components together”.

But that of Kylian Mbappé is not the only fight of egos to be solved by Pochettino himself. Although Donnarumma stated that he is “fascinated” by the competition with Keylor, PSG’s new Italian goalkeeper arrived as the best player in the Eurocup and will have to compete with the Costa Rican for ownership in the goal as soon as he is available. After the first matches, in which the ‘Tico’ has shown a high level, the questions from the press have already gone in that direction: Will there be a starter for Ligue 1 and another for the Champions League? Will they play the same? Endless unknowns whose answers will all come from the same protagonist: Mauricio Pochettino.