PSG reportedly dump Tuchel, line up Pochettino

PARIS - Paris Saint-Germain have sacked coach Thomas Tuchel with the club's former defender and ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino lined up as his replacement, according to various media reports on Thursday.

The French champions declined to make a statement when contacted by AFP to confirm the shock Christmas Eve axing as claimed by L'Equipe newspaper, news outlet RMC and German tabloid Bild.

"No idea" a club spokesman replied when asked when the news would be confirmed.

PSG forward Kylian Mbappe paid tribute to Tuchel on social media.

"Unfortuntately it's the law of football but no-one will forget your time here," the World Cup winner posted on Instagram.

"You wrote a great line of the club's history and I say thank you coach," he added.

Pochettino, who spent two years and a half as a player at the club, could take his first training session on Jan 3 after the winter break.

Tuchel, 47, arrived at the Parc des Princes on a two-year contract in 2018, and guided the Parisians to their first Champions League final last season.

But now, if the reports are confirmed, less than three months on from the final defeat to Bayern Munich in Lisbon, the German has become the first PSG coach to leave mid-season since Antoine Kombouare was replaced by Carlo Ancelotti in December 2011.

Tuchel, who is set to depart six months before the end of his deal, guided PSG to a last 16 date with Barcelona in this season's Champions League despite being plagued by injuries, suspensions and coronavirus infections.

And in contrast to his predecessors, Tuchel appeared adept at man-managing his band of superstar players, giving Neymar back the smile that was missing during the Unai Emery era.

AFP