Mauricio Pochettino has been under increasing pressure at Paris Saint-Germain in recent weeks, with it widely expected that he may not be in charge by the time 2022/23 begins, and his position was put into further doubt as Lyon held PSG to a 1-1 draw at the Groupama Stadium on Sunday.
PSG have already virtually wrapped up the domestic title, but that is not the tournament upon which coaches at the club are judged, with the team’s entire raison d’etre being to lift the Champions League under the Qatari ownership.
Whilst going to play Lyon away from home is never an easy game, there is simply an expectation that PSG need to steamroll all before them domestically in order to be suitably prepared for a run at the Champions League once the knockout phase begins.
Pochettino has found the past week rather difficult, with a number of absences hitting his squad through COVID-19, and he was forced to play a rotated team on Sunday.
Lucas Paqueta put the hosts into an early lead after just seven minutes, latching onto a sweet pass from Bruno Guimaraes, with the Brazilian pair continuing their fine campaign in Ligue 1.
The visitors were stunned, but could have drawn level after 21 minutes as a curling Leandro Paredes shot forced an exceptional save out of Anthony Lopes.
Kylian Mbappe was the next player to have a key chance, however he spurned a shot from close range, with it missing the right post.
Rumours have emerged of Emerson Palmieri being recalled by Chelsea from his loan with Lyon, yet he was in the starting XI on Sunday and missed a fantastic chance to double Lyon’s lead.
The left-back was first to a rebound at the edge of the PSG box, but he put his shot wide of the net, much to the frustration of Peter Bosz.
Mauro Icardi blazed a shot over the crossbar in the 54th minute, with PSG starting to lose their composure.
Kehrer to the rescue
The equaliser would eventually come via an unlikely source, with defender Thilo Kehrer picking the ball up inside the penalty area and firing a shot into the net, although it was a deflection which took the ball beyond Lopes.
Mbappe then had a chance to win the match, but his swirling free-kick beat the wall but not the woodwork as it bounced off the right-hand post.
PSG remain 11 points clear of second-placed Nice, but there remain serious doubts over whether or not Pochettino has full control of the dressing room, which is a major concern ahead of the club’s Champions League tie with Real Madrid.
