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PSG are not UEFA Champions League favourites, Pochettino says

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach Mauricio Pochettino does not believe his team are favourites to win the UEFA Champions League after eliminating title-holders Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

PSG advanced to the semi-finals for the second successive season on away goals after the blockbuster tie ended 3-3 following Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at home to Bayern Munich.

Ligue 1 champions PSG by this thus exacted some revenge after moving through to the final four, having lost last season’s decider to Bayern Munich.

PSG will face either Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, while Chelsea are set to meet the winners of the Liverpool-Real Madrid clash.

Pochettino, meanwhile, dismissed the idea that PSG are the main contenders to win the Champions League this season.

“I don’t think so,” Pochettino told reporters when asked if PSG are favourites.

“We have beaten FC Barcelona in the last 16 in two games, and we have beaten Bayern Munich now in two games too. I think we deserved to win both ties.

“But I don’t think PSG are the main contenders to win the Champions League. There are still rivals in. We have qualified and Chelsea did today as well.

“We will see in the other ties —— Manchester City versus Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool versus Real Madrid. But we also know that any team in the semi-finals have the same options to win.”

PSG’s elimination of Bayern Munich is the first instance in Champions League history of the previous season’s losing finalists eliminating the holders in the knockout stages.

French giants PSG have reached the semi-finals for the second season in a row.

This was after managing to reach the final four only once in their previous 11 campaigns in the competition before that —— their first in 1994/1995.

PSG, though, failed to score at home in the Champions League for the first time in 24 games, since a 0-0 draw with Real Madrid in October 2015.

Asked to pick between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, the former Tottenham Manager —- who led Spurs to the 2018/2019 Champions League final —— was non-commitment.

“We have faced FC Barcelona in the last 16, playing two games. We have also eliminated Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

“We don’t choose one or other rival. The one we play, we will try to beat them. If you are wondering whether we can or not beat them, we will see.”

 

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