Pochettino responded to criticism that he had forced Messi into a fixed position on the right wing, explaining that players’ movements were often a natural movement and defensive withdrawal rather than a strict instruction from the coach.
“Thierry Henry, who was commentating for Prime, said he didn’t understand why Pochettino placed Messi on the right wing when he was more effective alongside Neymar,” he explained. “To this, I answer: Pochettino and his staff did not deliberately move Messi to the right wing in the second half. Sometimes players find themselves in a defensive position to recover, to regain strength, and that was the case with Messi. »
He also criticized the impact of these kinds of comments on a coach’s reputation: “So when a former player like Henry criticizes this situation and holds me responsible, it causes an outcry. We hear things like: “This coach doesn’t know how to play Messi. He doesn’t know how to use Mbappé.” »
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