Christophe Galtier becomes the new Paris Saint-Germain manager and is expected to help the club win the Champions League to lead. An old companion could be very helpful.
So now Christophe Galtier. After Carlo Ancelotti, Laurent Blanc, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino, the 56-year-old Frenchman is now to Paris Saint Germain and lead its Qatari owners to the long awaited goal – winning the footballChampions League.
The coach signed a two-year contract with the champions from the capital. He replaces the Argentinian Pochettino. Its end had been evident since the end of PSG signed against Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.
Galtier had last trained OGC Nice and had to be bought out of his contract there for a fee of millions. Lucien Favre has already been introduced as the new coach in Nice.
Surprise Champion with Lille
Galtier became known in the summer of 2021 when he co-starred with OSC Lille surprisingly won the championship title – and thus annoyed his new club at the time. Despite some offers from abroad, he moved to Nice within France. There it was only enough for fifth place last season. But he managed the feat of remaining unbeaten and clean sheet in three games of the season against Paris – 0-0 and 1-0 in the league, 0-0/5-4 after penalties in the cup.
Campos’ preferred candidate
For that reason alone, Paris did not sign Galtier. Rather, he was considered the preferred candidate of PSG sports director Luis Campos. The two were already considered a congenial duo in Lille and made a relegation candidate champion there. The Portuguese Campos is known to be a great strategist when it comes to squad planning and talent scouting, something he particularly demonstrated in Lille. Quite a few see him as a visionary and the best football expert in the world.
Sports director Luis Campos
Campos probably trusts his old companion Galtier not only to tame the elite squad around Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, but also to lead it to success.
Tough dog and shrewd tactician
Galtier is considered a tough dog and a shrewd tactician in the dressing room and on the training ground. He is a child of the French league. Born in Marseilleshe started his playing career at Olympicafter which he ran for Lille, Toulose, Angers and Nimes on.
Lionel Messi of Paris Saint Germain
After assistant coach positions in Marseille, Bastia, Sochaux and Lyons he took over the AS in 2009 Saint Etienne. He led the club from the bottom of the table to the top flight and to the League Cup victory in 2013. Then it went to Lille, where he was also “France Coach of the Year”, and to Nice.
Probably more peace under Campos
It could actually be something with Galtier and Paris, because the coach has a big advantage over his predecessors – and that is the proximity to Campos. Emery, Tuchel and Co. have always been said to have a difficult relationship with Campos’ predecessor Leonardo.