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Paris Saint-Germain will be without the suspended Kylian Mbappe against Nice, but Mauricio Pochettino knows his side should not rely on individual performances from one of the world’s best players.
PSG are 15 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit ahead of a clash with third-placed Nice on Saturday, but they will not have Mbappe among their ranks.
The France international will return for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid, who he has been heavily linked to when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Mbappe has dominated for PSG this season, scoring 14 times and assisting 10 goals in Ligue 1, while creating a team-leading 47 chances.
No other PSG player has more than five goals (Danilo Pereira) and only Lionel Messi has as many assists, but Pochettino insisted his side cannot continue to rely on individuals to come up with match-winning moments.
“We’re talking about one of the best players in the world,” Pochettino said of Mbappe’s absence at Friday’s pre-match news conference.
“The psychological aspect is important for his team-mates and the opponent. But we know it can happen during a season. The important thing is that the squad believes in its collective strength.
“We have to develop the idea that the squad isn’t strong thanks to individual performances, but rather thanks to its collective strength, which is something we have to cultivate despite having players missing.”
PSG’s away form in the top flight has come under scrutiny this campaign, picking up 25 points on the road in comparison to 37 at home.
But Pochettino assured that his team’s away challenges are normal as they prepare for a trip to Coupe de France finalists Nice, who have won just one of their last 17 top-flight meetings against PSG.
“It can happen during a season. It happens to every big club – and not only to Paris – to play less well away from home,” he added.
“There’s no single factor that determines that. We try to play each game in the same way, whether it’s home or away.
“We analyse the way in which we play, looking to dominate, if there is pressure, or a difficult atmosphere in terms of the opponent.
“We also have to acknowledge the contribution of our fans, who generate an atmosphere and give energy, that has an impact, not only on our players but also it negatively affects the opposition.”
Pochettino, whose side have lost just one of their last 17 league matches, will see his side take a slender 1-0 lead to Madrid on Tuesday, but his focus remains on one game at a time.
“We have to be focused on the match against Nice and find the right tactics to win,” he continued.
“For the second leg, there will be players missing in Madrid. As for us, we’ll see after Saturday’s game which players are available. We’ll see which is the best team to play Real after the Nice match.
“We have to be competitive and focused on Saturday’s game, out of respect for the competition and for Nice. The best means of preparing for big Champions League matches is to be focused all the time.”
