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Manchester City face PSG in the Champions League this evening and Le Parisien spoke with Samir Nasri before the match.
The 34-year-old, who is no longer playing professionally, played for Manchester City from 2011 to 2017. He knows a lot about the club, even though he isn't an expert on Pep Guardiola's current squad. Considering the Manchester United news this week, Mauricio Pochettino was unavoidably brought up. Nasri provided his honest opinion on some of the manager's recent comments.
Pochettino was fired from Tottenham Hotspur in November 2019 and subsequently accepted a position at PSG in 2021. He's finding it tough to install a playing style like he did at Spurs. The Argentine has said that it's difficult when he doesn't have complete control and has to deal with the three superstars on the roster.
This has fueled rumors that he isn't completely settled, as well as speculation that he could be on his way to Manchester United.
When asked about these comments, Nasri said:
“For the moment, I do not see a Pochettino style in Paris as there could have been in Tottenham or even Southampton, teams that he was able to make play in a beautiful way. With PSG, he’s grasping, he still hasn’t found the right formula, he doesn’t know which system to really play in… I don’t understand why he hasn’t started to field a three-way defense, for example.”
Samir Nasri thinks Zinedine Zidane may be better suited than Pochettino for a team like PSG
Samir Nasri further added in his interview:
“There are a lot of things I see that are a little bit inconsistent. And it’s a little too easy to say that it is not his project, to clear oneself in case of failure.”
Asked if the comments were part of an exit strategy, Nasri replied:
“As luck would have it, Solskjaer was fired three days later and his name was found all over England as a possible future Manchester United manager.”
The former Manchester City player insisted PSG are well run, and then added:
“It’s a little too easy when you’re a coach to say: yes, but it’s not my project.”
Nasri was also asked about the likelihood of Zinedine Zidane succeeding Pochettino. He indicated that Zidane will be able to deal with the biggest talents in a way that Pochettino may not be able to.
Nasri said:
“Without disrespecting Tottenham, there was no star in his day. It’s easier to be heard. When in a locker room there are only internationals, there is a lot of ego and you have to be an alpha male to be respected.”
Harry Kane is of course a huge star who has been managed by Mauricio Pochettino. However, he was developed by the club and is not on the same level and ego level as the big three currently at PSG.
