Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino has said he and his staff have what it takes to help the club win their first Champions League title one day, despite their recent collapse against Real Madrid.
PSG won the first leg of their round-of-16 tie 1-0 at home before losing 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the return leg, another remarkable failure following past meltdowns against Barcelona and Manchester United.
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After Pochettino joined more than a year ago, they reached the Champions League semifinals but lost the Ligue 1 title to Lille while showing a lack of character and playing style.
"We are competitive by nature. This kind of challenge is an exciting one to take on... To give the possibility to fight again for this [Champions League] title, it's exciting," Pochettino told a news conference on Saturday ahead of Sunday's Ligue 1 trip to Monaco.
"Beyond the sadness, to give PSG the possibility to fight to fulfil their objectives is always a great challenge. And yes, we feel capable of it. Afterwards, it's a question of exchanges. We will have to sit down with the club to exchange. To find the best formula. To see the vision, the future, the ideas, the project."
Whether Pochettino will be the coach leading PSG to another bid for the Champions League title is uncertain, though, as speculation is mounting that he could be replaced at the end of the season. Sources have told ESPN he is wanted by Manchester United.
"We will analyse everything at the end of the season," he said. "We will see at the end of the season [if I stay]. It will be the club's decision."
PSG lead Ligue 1 with 65 points from 28 games, 15 points ahead of second-placed Marseille, who host third-placed Nice on Sunday.