Paris Saint-Germain 'to stick with Christophe Galtier for rest of season'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 10 March 2023

PSG 'to stick with Christophe Galtier for rest of season'

Paris Saint-Germain reportedly do not plan to sack Christophe Galtier before the end of the season, but he is losing the respect of the club's hierarchy.

Paris Saint-Germain reportedly have no plans to sack Christophe Galtier before the end of the season, but the board are slowly losing respect for the former Lille manager.

Galtier took over from Mauricio Pochettino at the end of last season and has led PSG to the top of the Ligue 1 table, taking 63 points from their opening 26 games of the season.

The reigning champions hold an eight-point advantage over Marseille at the summit, but another fruitless quest for Champions League glory ended in failure at the hands of Bayern Munich.

The Bavarians prevailed 3-0 on aggregate in their last-16 tie, as PSG suffered elimination at the first knockout hurdle for the fifth time in seven seasons.

PSG were also knocked out of the Coupe de France in the last-16 stage by Marseille, although a spate of injuries to key players since the turn of the year have not helped Galtier's cause.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Christophe Galtier reacts on January 11, 2023 © Reuters

Having failed to end PSG's prolonged European trophy drought, Galtier's job is seemingly hanging by a thread, but Goal claims that there are no immediate plans to sack the Frenchman.

However, the report adds that Galtier has practically lost the dressing room and holds little power over the squad, who have not taken kindly to the 56-year-old's tactics throughout the season.

Galtier has alternated between a three-man and four-man backline this season, but he is also alleged to have broken promises to recruits who were brought in over the summer.

Reims loanee Hugo Ekitike has made just eight starts in the current Ligue 1 season, with Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe undroppable in the attacking trident when fully fit.

Even with Neymar now sidelined for the rest of the season following ankle surgery, Galtier has been reluctant to introduce Ekitike from the start, instead adding a further midfielder in a 3-5-2 system.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel during the game with Dinamo Zagreb on September 6, 2022. © Reuters

The powers-that-be at PSG - who have been left less than impressed with Galtier - are now demanding that the Frenchman leads his side to the Ligue 1 title before the expectation of a swift firing in the summer.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi is still thought to be dreaming of hiring Zinedine Zidane for the manager's job, with the former Real Madrid boss still out of work since leaving Los Blancos for a second time in 2021.

Zidane was initially thought to be holding out for the France job, but Didier Deschamps has now signed a new contract until 2026 after leading Les Bleus to the 2022 World Cup final.

A reunion with Thomas Tuchel has also been mooted, but the German has also attracted the attention of Tottenham Hotspur, who are planning for life without Antonio Conte.

Galtier has won 27, drawn five and lost six of his 38 games in charge of PSG, who are next in action away to Brest in Ligue 1 on Saturday night.