PSG fires coach Galtier

France PSG decided to part ways with coach Christophe Galtier just days after winning Ligue 1.

According to ESPN , sporting director Luis Campos directly informed Galtier of the decision on June 6, and the club will announce the change of coach this week. The Parc des Princes owners approved the decision to change the coach less than three days after PSG lost 2-3 to Clermont in the final round of Ligue 1 on June 3.

Previously, Le Parisien published similar information, and revealed that Qatari owners assessed Galtier's season as unsuccessful. Under the French coach, PSG lost to Bayern in the Champions League round of 16 and were eliminated early in the French Cup round of 16. In Ligue 1, despite winning the championship, the Paris club played inconsistently, losing seven matches and only one point ahead of runner-up Lens.

Galtier touches the Ligue 1 championship trophy during PSG's coronation ceremony on June 5. Photo: Alamy — Galtier touches the Ligue 1 championship trophy during PSG's coronation ceremony on June 5. Photo: *Alamy*

Aside from his technical issues, Galtier also failed to manage a dressing room with many strong personalities. Rumors of a rift in the dressing room and questions about the futures of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi have affected PSG throughout the season.

Galtier has also been embroiled in a racism scandal since his time as coach of Nice in 2021-2022. According to Romain Molina, a French investigative sports journalist, Nice's sporting director Julien Fournier from August 2019 to June 2022 accused Galtier of complaining about the club having too many black and Muslim players.

Galtier’s position has been shaky since the Champions League defeat to Bayern. Last month, the 56-year-old coach insisted he deserved to continue leading PSG in the 2023-2024 season, when his contract expires. But he will only stay until the end of this season.

According to ESPN , PSG have been in talks with former Spain and Barca coach Luis Enrique, but Julian Nagelsmann is the leading candidate to replace Galtier this summer. Qatari owners believe the German coach can build a strong team, is the ideal person to open a new chapter and use a talented group of young players.

Along with signing Nagelsmann, PSG are also considering the possibility of appointing legend Thierry Henry to the coaching staff. The Qatari owners see the former French striker as an ideal assistant to Nagelsmann and appreciate Henry's experience, having held a similar role under Roberto Martinez with the Belgian national team.

Former PSG player Thiago Motta, who made a splash by leading Bologna to a ninth-place finish in Serie A this season, and former River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo are other names highly regarded by PSG's leadership.

PSG confirmed that Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos will leave the club on free transfers when the transfer window opens. The Paris club is also ready to sell Neymar if they receive a suitable offer. In the opposite direction, they are about to recruit striker Marco Asensio on a free transfer and midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Sporting for a fee of around $65 million.

Hong Duy

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