Mauricio Pochettino insists that Paris Saint-Germain 'dominated' Manchester City and 'deserved better' in the Champions League semi-final, despite the French champions failing to register a shot on target in the second leg.
The Parisians were sent packing from the competition on Tuesday night after a Riyad Mahrez double saw City reach the final for the first time in the club's history, winning 4-1 on aggregate.
PSG were well below their best in Manchester and sorely missed star striker Kylian Mbappe, whose absence underlined the toothlessness of the visitors' attack.
Neymar & Co. were unable to engineer any genuine opportunity on Ederson's goal at the Etihad Stadium, with Ruben Dias and John Stones marshalling the defence superbly to prevent the Parisians from a single shot on target.
However, Pochettino maintains that his side were the 'better' of the two teams over 180 minutes of football, having lost 2-1 to the Premier League leaders in the French capital last week.
'If we analyse the two games, we dominated a very difficult team to control,' Pochettino told RMC Sport via Goal. 'You need a small percentage of luck to score in key moments.
'I am disappointed, because we deserved better. But Manchester City have been more clinical than us. They scored the goals we needed, we played the game we wanted with the plan we wanted. It's a bit disappointing obviously, because the objective was to go to the final.'
PSG's exit means they have failed to improve on their performance last season, in which they reached the final in Lisbon, only to lose to Bayern Munich.
Pochettino, whose side were reduced to ten men in both legs due to the dismissals of Idrissa Gueye and Angel di Maria, said that his squad must remain positive.
'We have to be positive, it's difficult after an elimination, you have to have this process in mind, stay calm, analyse the situation,' he added.
'We arrived here having beaten Barcelona and Bayern. It's a shame not to make it to the final, but the team never gave up, they fought to the end.
'We also played 10 against 11 for [30] minutes, which is a big disadvantage. It wasn't for us. We will go back being strong, the club and the players will be ready to win the remaining matches. We will be ready.'
Sahillimbachiya
795
PSG's last shot on target vs Manchester City was in the 28th minute of the 1st leg.😂
maxamedibraahim
571
mendy have 100% to win champions league
Fumcnotz
567
PSG players lack discipline and team work. They celebrated too early with their win over Bayern. They did the same last season with Dortmund. They should have learned to be humble and be discipline. Its frustrating to watch as a PSG fan. This isnt the Neymar I used to love at Barcelona, his position is fucked.
Cityzen4life
365
There is an imposter among us
Sahillimbachiya
327
You can take the man out of Tottenham but you can’t take Tottenham out of the man.
auusmanscf
143
The most happiest person on the planet. KIMICH
Nekbcintuy
119
Pochettino smoked some good quality weed before this match started...PSG dominated City???hahahaha you were High as hell if you seen that...City dominated the ball as if they were trailing fro. the 1st leg...well done City...Chelsea is on their way...#ByePSG #ByeMadrid
Harsh9
18
PSG players lack discipline and team work. They celebrated too early with their win over Bayern. They did the same last season with Dortmund. They should have learned to be humble and be discipline. Its frustrating to watch as a PSG fan. This isnt the Neymar I used to love at Barcelona, his position is fucked.
discipline is what psg lacks.. Childish behavior every damm Time..be it mocking haaland and RB..or Ney mocking kimmich..and then celebrating after winning against Bayern..Okay..last year..it was your first time.. so okay..but this time..No..not all..Secondly doesn't ney trayt his teammates??
Phreshme
8
PSG players lack discipline and team work. They celebrated too early with their win over Bayern. They did the same last season with Dortmund. They should have learned to be humble and be discipline. Its frustrating to watch as a PSG fan. This isnt the Neymar I used to love at Barcelona, his position is fucked.
Neymar and icardi were actually the reason PSG lost. Neymar was not playing to score rather playing to be noticed as the one who did his best for the team. just holds the ball instead of passing to a team mate he chooses to slow down play by run with the ball like a snail. I prefer to hold the ball so everyone notices him. KDB is far better than Neymar Neymar has become an overrated Grown kid who doesn't make the right decision at the right time, instead prefers to be noticed!!