Mauricio Pochettino hopes to see his Paris Saint-Germain players express their talent in "explosive fashion" as he begins his reign as coach of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats champions without Neymar at Saint-Etienne on Wednesday.
Following Thomas Tuchel's sacking on Christmas Eve, Pochettino was finally officially unveiled as the new boss of PSG on Sunday, just three days before the resumption of the French top flight. With his new side sitting third in the table after the opening chapter of the 2020/21 campaign — a point off the pace set by leaders Lyon and second-placed Lille — Pochettino knows he has the squad to put on a show.
"I know that we have great players here and that great players have played here in the past. I've worked with great players before, and I can't wait to work with these players who have great potential. It's down to us to make all that potential come out in explosive fashion," said the former Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton manager.
"It's difficult to get your ideas across in two days. But the players are open to them and ready to listen, to work and to apply the principles to our play and the tactical set-up. The players and the staff have welcomed me really well, like Chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo of course. I know what working for Paris signifies. There's pressure to win, and to win in style. I like pressure, I'm a competitor and I want to win."
WATCH: What happened when the pair met in Saint-Etienne last season
PSG last did that against Saint-Etienne thanks to their 1-0 victory over the record French champions in the 2019/20 Coupe de France final. Les Verts have struggled against the capital club of late with PSG unbeaten in the duo's last 21 competitive meetings, and they have failed to win just two of the last 12 Ligue 1 Uber Eats fixtures.
"I need to adapt quickly as it's a new environment and a new club, but my coaching staff speak French, so we'll be able to work very quickly. I'm very happy to have this responsibility of adapting quickly to all the expectations of the club, we have great things to accomplish, and it starts tomorrow at Saint-Etienne," explained 'Poch' in his first pre-match press conference as PSG boss.
"I know the coach as I came up against him in England. They're a team that have clearly defined playing principles. We are happy to be back in competitive action and above all playing there, in a historic place for French football."
While Abdou Diallo and Pablo Sarabia are available having recovered from pre-Christmas problems, the ankle injury that curtailed Neymar's 2020 means he will not feature at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard with the Brazilian still on a long list of first-teamers on the sidelines.
Yvan Neyou and Mahdi Camara will be missing for the hosts through suspension while a muscle strain means Wahbi Khazri is also out. On-loan defender Panagiotis Retsos could feature for the first time since late October after returning to full fitness as Claude Puel looks to his men to extend their six-match unbeaten run.
"We know it's going to be difficult, but we also want to start the year well," explained the former Leicester City manager. "We'll have to be at it right away. A match against PSG is always a bit special. We know them and the quality of their squad. Also, the players will be doubly focussed following the change in coach.
"We'll need to quickly find our cohesion and the standard of play we showed in recent games. We were productive, and we now have to be effective. We know we're going to come up against a great team with motivated and fresh players who'll be brimful of determination."
Probable teams
Saint-Etienne: Moulin - Debuchy (c), Moukoudi, Kolodziejczak, Trauco - Youssouf, Gourna-Douath, Aouchiche - Nordin, Bouanga
PSG: Navas - Dagba, Marquinhos (c), Kehrer, Bakker - Herrera, Verratti, Gueye - Di Maria, Kean, Mbappé
