Mauricio Pochettino was confirmed as the new head coach of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday – nine days after reports surfaced stating he was set to succeed Thomas Tuchel at the team’s helm.
The Argentine tactician signed a contract through June 2022 at the Parc des Princes, with an option for an additional year. Pochettino captained PSG during his playing career.
“I have wonderful memories, especially of the unique atmosphere of the Parc des Princes,” Pochettino told the club website. “I return to the club today with a lot of ambition and humility, and am eager to work with some of the world’s most talented players.”
Tottenham Hotspur dismissed Pochettino in November 2019. The 48-year-old led the north London club to the Champions League final just 171 days before his sacking but paid the price for a disappointing start to the 2019-20 season. Spurs were positioned 14th in the Premier League table and were humiliated by a 7-2 home defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stage.
However, through his time in the English capital, he established Spurs among the Premier League’s elite and was widely credited for his attacking, high-pressing style of play. His holistic approach also drew praise during his previous stints in charge of Espanyol (2009-2012) and Southampton (2013-2014).
He is yet to collect a trophy in his managerial career.
Pochettino’s first match in the PSG dugout will be Wednesday’s Ligue 1 trip to Saint-Etienne. His Champions League return is set for Feb. 16, when PSG travel to Barcelona for the first leg of the teams’ last-16 tilt.
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz intends to take the year off from coaching in 2021 as he contemplates retirement, sources told ESPN.
Philadelphia will be in the market for a new defensive coordinator as it embarks on what promises to be an offseason full of significant change for the 4-10-1 team.
Schwartz, 54, intends to let his contract expire. He has had a couple of minor procedures over the past year-plus, including hip and eye surgeries, and believes stepping back from the daily grind of coaching would be in his best interest, a source said.
He also took a year sabbatical in 2015 after being let go as Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator and worked with the NFL’s officiating department in a consulting position.
Schwartz joined Doug Pederson’s staff in 2016 and helped deliver the city its first Super Bowl title a year later. The Eagles’ defense finished No. 1 against the run and fourth in points allowed (18.4) during the championship run in 2017. Schwartz’s unit gave up 17 total points in playoff wins against the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings prior to the 41-33 Super Bowl shootout against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The Eagles ranked among the top 10 in rushing defense (1st, 93.4 YPG), red zone defense (2nd, 49.5%), third-down defense (3rd, 35.4%), scoring defense (7th, 20.8 PPG) and takeaways (9th, 94) over his first four seasons.
Known best for allowing his defensive linemen to pin their ears back and attack, the Eagles are in the top five in sacks in 2020.
Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is stepping away from the team next season as he contemplates his coaching future, sources told ESPN. John Jones/Icon Sportswire
Issues have crept in over the past two seasons in particular, however. An Achilles’ heel last season was the defense’s propensity to give up the big play, yielding 15 plays of 40-plus yards through the air, second worst in the NFL. In 2020, the group struggled to generate turnovers and entered Week 17 with the second-fewest interceptions (six).
Schwartz’s unit was once again hit hard by injuries, with
Over the next 12 months, a fresh crop of footballers will establish themselves atop the men’s game. Here, theScore takes a look at some talented youngsters – aged 21 and under – who are set to flourish in 2021, while deliberately excluding those who made our lists for 2019 and 2020.
Velez Sarsfield’s Copa Sudamericana hunt is still alive, and much of that is down to Almada’s efforts. The agile Argentine attacker assisted one and scored the other as they progressed from the first round, and he then scored twice in the last-16 before injury cut short his quarterfinal involvement. He can switch direction in an instant.
Mitchel Bakker
Aurelien Meunier – PSG / PSG / Getty
Club: Paris Saint-Germain | Age: 20 | Position: Left-back
Juan Bernat faces a fight for the left-back spot when he overcomes his cruciate ligament injury. Bakker hasn’t been cowed by his premature promotion to the Paris Saint-Germain XI, as he neatly combines his imposing physicality (6-foot-1) with attacking quality (a dangerous left-footed delivery).
Many European giants tried to tempt Bellingham from Birmingham City during his time in the academy, but he and his family decided staying put was best for his development. Now, after becoming the youngest debutant and goalscorer in the Blues’ history, he’s already making an impression at Dortmund following his July transfer.
Moises Caicedo
JOSE JACOME / AFP / Getty
Club: Independiente del Valle | Age: 19 | Position: Midfielder
Ecuador hasn’t been great at producing deep-lying midfielders over the years, but Caicedo looks set to redefine the country’s footballing identity. His skill and composure allow him to wriggle away from opponents, and he always tries to progress play up the pitch. Manchester United are apparently interested.
Cherki’s workload has been carefully managed since his breakout performance in the Coupe de France last January, as he’s started only three matches in the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season. His outrageous street skills, willingness to take on players, and vision make him a joy to watch.
Sergino Dest
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Club: Barcelona | Age: 20 | Position: Right-back
Signing a right-back was a priority for Barcelona last summer and, after entertaining a move for Max Aarons, they opted to dish out €21 million for Dest. The American international is settling well in Catalonia after progressing through Ajax’s ranks. He’s a great two-way full-back and a general improvement on Nelson Semedo.
Harvey Elliott
Club: Liverpool | Age: 17 | Position: Winger
With little chance of usurping Mohamed Salah or finding an alternative place in Liverpool’s attack, right-winger Elliott has been granted regular minutes during a loan spell at Blackburn Rovers. He’s among the Championship’s best for key passes and has directly contributed to 10 goals so far.
Wesley Fofana
Plumb Images / Leicester City FC / Getty
Club: Leicester City | Age: 20 | Position: Defender
Fofana’s transition into English football has been seamless, as he’s contributed to seven clean sheets across all competitions. His reading of the game is phenomenal for a defender of his tender years, and he’s much more assured in possession than long-term Leicester absentee Caglar Soyuncu.
Marc Guehi
Club: Chelsea | Age: 20 | Position: Defender
Guehi has legitimate hopes of following Reece James into Chelsea’s starting XI next season. The center-back is on his second loan spell with Swansea City, where he’s garnering attention for his incisive distribution, athleticism, and leadership. He could be Thiago Silva’s natural successor.
Reece James
Chris Lee – Chelsea FC / Chelsea FC / Getty
Club: Chelsea | Age: 21 | Position: Right-back
James’ reputation continues to grow since breaking into the Chelsea lineup following a season-long loan with Wigan Athletic in 2018-19. His crossing is pinpoint, he has a venomous shot, and he doesn’t have any clear weaknesses to his defensive game. He’s already one of the Premier League’s finest right-backs.
Curtis Jones
Club: Liverpool | Age: 19 | Position: Midfielder
Jones is turning into a key player for Jurgen Klopp and could be a wise pick for Gareth Southgate’s England squad at this summer’s European Championship. The Liverpool product can create and kibosh attacks in midfield with equal success and is seemingly primed for stardom.
Sekou Koita
Markus Tobisch / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Club: Red Bull Salzburg | Age: 21 | Position: Forward
Left-footed Malian marksman Koita is yet another player plotting a rise to the top of the game via Red Bull Salzburg. The 21-year-old has netted 10 times despite starting only five matches in the 2020-21 Austrian Bundesliga term and has a knack for catching out goalkeepers by taking his shots early.
Lamptey didn’t see enough openings at Chelsea while he was behind James and Cesar Azpilicueta in the pecking order, so he completed a transfer to Brighton last January. The diminutive right-back is arguably the Seagulls’ most prized asset, as his tireless attacking and combative style consistently light up matches.
Moukoko became the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history at 16 years and 28 days when he latched onto Raphael Guerreiro’s through-ball and rifled an unstoppable effort into the roof of the net against Union Berlin in December. It was a fitting way for the Cameroon-born phenom to open his account.
Michael Olise
Club: Reading | Age: 19 | Position: Midfielder
Olise’s current productivity may not last the season – he’s scored four and assisted eight – but the French teen is already one of the Championship’s most creative players. He’s destined to be another EFL-schooled star to graduate to the top flight, following the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze.
Pedri
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Club: Barcelona | Age: 18 | Position: Attacking midfielder
Pedri’s twinkle-toed footwork has been a welcome highlight of a largely miserable campaign for Barcelona. He’s second to Valencia’s Yunus Musah for 2020-21 La Liga minutes tallied by a player born in 2000 or later and is forging a promising on-pitch partnership with Lionel Messi.
As a son of two former U.S. internationals, Reyna was probably a waste of the school guidance counselor’s time. Soccer is in his blood. His fidgety movement and ability to ride opposition lunges make him one of the most slippery attackers in Europe, and his vision and weight of pass are reminiscent of his father, Claudio.
Perr Schuurs
Soccrates Images / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Club: Ajax | Age: 21 | Position: Defender
Liverpool are reportedly among the clubs most interested in acquiring Schuurs from Ajax. He twice performed well against the Reds’ vaunted attack in the Champions League group stage and has consistently shown similarities to fellow Ajax academy alumnus Matthijs de Ligt.
Ferran Torres
Club: Manchester City | Age: 20 | Position: Winger, forward
Torres rarely ventured too far from the right flank with Valencia, but he’s already cropped up in various positions at Manchester City – including as a striker – and has impressed. His tactical intelligence, work rate, and vision are ingredients Pep Guardiola can use to turn Torres into a world-class operator.
Kai Havertz, Julian Brandt, and Benjamin Henrichs all played in the Champions League as youngsters at Leverkusen, and considering the club’s current domestic performance, Wirtz could soon follow suit. He can fulfill a range of midfield roles, his dribbling can be hypnotic, and he’s blessed with sublime creativity.
Joshua Zirkzee
Club: Bayern Munich | Age: 19 | Position: Forward
Zirkzee started getting game time at Bayern in 2019 and has arguably the game’s finest tutor in Robert Lewandowski. “He’s the kind of player who is highly sought-after: a powerful striker who keeps his cool and doesn’t let himself be caught out,” the club’s academy boss, Holger Seitz, said when Zirkzee reached the senior ranks.
Honorable mentions: Riccardo Calafiori (Roma), Billy Gilmour (Chelsea) Yunus Musah (Valencia), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka (both Arsenal)
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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was taken to the hospital Friday for precautionary measures after complaining about abdominal pain to a team trainer before practice, a Rams spokesperson said.
Floyd will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals (8-7). The Rams (9-6) can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Chicago Bears (8-7) loss at home to the Green Bay Packers (12-3).
Playing on a one-year, $10 million contract, Floyd has 9½ sacks this season and has played a critical role on a defense that ranks second in efficiency.
“He has been so steady, so consistent, so versatile,” Rams coach Sean McVay said Friday before practice. “He is really affecting and influencing the game in a variety of ways.”
If Floyd is unable to play Sunday, expect rookie Terrell Lewis and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to step in.
The uncertainty around Floyd’s health and availability Sunday adds to what has already been a tumultuous week for the Rams, who will be relying on several backups against the Cardinals for various reasons.
Undrafted free agent John Wolford will make his first NFL start in place of quarterback Jared Goff, who underwent surgery on his throwing-hand thumb last Monday and will be sidelined at least a week.
Malcolm Brown could be the only experienced running back available in a three-player committee after leading rusher Darrell Henderson was placed on injured reserve because of a high ankle sprain. McVay said Friday that Cam Akers will be a game-time decision because of a high ankle sprain that kept him out of Week 16. Rookies Xavier Jones and Raymond Calais have played only on special teams this season, but will be asked to step up if Akers can’t play.
And leading wide receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive lineman Michael Brockers, who has 5 sacks, will remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list and will not be available Sunday, according to McVay. This is the first game this season that a Rams starter will miss because of being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
