Mbappe thanks Tuchel after reports of coach's sacking

Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe paid tribute to Thomas Tuchel after multiple media reports said the German coach had been sacked by the French Ligue 1 club.

French sports daily L’Equipe and German newspaper Bild said the 47-year-old, who helped PSG reach the Champions League final in August which they lost to Bayern Munich, was dismissed after Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Racing Strasbourg.

“It is sadly the law of football. Nobody will forget your time here. You wrote a wonderful part of the club’s history and I say to you: ‘thank you, coach’,” Mbappe said in an Instagram post on Thursday that was accompanied by a picture of him with Tuchel.

PSG are third in Ligue 1 with 35 points from 17 games, one point behind league leaders Olympique Lyonnais and Lille, and are through to the last 16 of the Champions League, where they face Spanish side Barcelona.

The club has not confirmed Tuchel’s departure. L’Equipe reported that Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, is set to be named Tuchel’s successor.

Tuchel was appointed PSG head coach in 2018 and has won two Ligue 1 titles along with a domestic quadruple in his second season at the club.

Pochettino, who played for PSG as a defender in the early 2000s, has been out of a job since being dismissed by Spurs in November 2019. He guided the London side to the Champions League final in the 2018-19 season.

“Pochettino is being lined up by @PSG_English. A terrific coach whose only minus is the lack of winning trophies... Well that’s about to change,” former England and Spurs striker Gary Lineker tweeted.

Former Argentina international Juan Pablo Sorin said: “Pochettino to @PSG_inside? Hopefully.”