Ahead of the Champions League meeting between Real Madrid and Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG on Tuesday, L’Équipe report the Spanish side have tried to sign the opposition coach on multiple occasions. As the sports daily point out, the Argentine has previously described the Madrid job as a “dream” that “everyone has on their list”.
At least three times, Madrid have approached Pochettino over their coaching position in the last five years. The first came in 2017 after Pochettino’s Tottenham finished third and second in the previous two Premier League seasons.
In January 2021, just after PSG appointed Pochettino, with Real coach Zinedine Zidane in trouble after two cup exits, Pochettino topped Madrid president Florentino Perez’s list to replace the struggling Zidane despite his recent move to PSG.
Last summer, after Zidane’s eventual departure for the second time, Perez was again interested in Pochettino having heard of his reported unease in Paris but eventually decided against an approach for the former Southampton and Espanyol coach, knowing that PSG president Nasser al-Khelaïfi would not let Pochettino leave Ligue 1.
With Pochettino now likely to leave Paris in the summer, according to the French media, a move for the Argentine manager could be possible say the sports daily, should Madrid fail to meet their targets under Carlo Ancelotti, despite heavy links with Manchester United. Zidane is favourite to replace Pochettino at PSG.