Lionel Messi booed and Thomas Tuchel responds to ‘stunning’ sacking as Liverpool awaits

Lionel Messi whistled and Thomas Tuchel reacts to ‘stunning’ sending off as Liverpool wait

Liverpool rivals round-up: PSG superstar Lionel Messi has received a hostile reception at the Parc des Princes, while Thomas Tuchel has reacted to Graham Potter’s departure from Chelsea.

Liverpool are certainly not the only European heavyweights to have seen a certain level of turbulence this season.

Domestically, Chelsea sacked manager Graham Potter on the eve of their match with the Reds, just seven months after his appointment.

And Tottenham Hotspur are also looking for a new permanent manager after parting ways with Antonio Conte following his stunning press conference last month.

In Europe, Bayern stunned scouts by sacking Julian Nagelsmann and replacing him with Thomas Tuchel during a Bundesliga v Champions League tie. And while Paris Saint-Germain are six points clear at the top of Ligue 1, manager Christophe Galtier’s future looks uncertain following Bayern’s sweet exit from the Champions League.

Leaders Barcelona are facing a scandal over alleged payments to the chief referee, while Serie A giants Juventus suffered a 15-point deduction in January following an investigation into their transfer dealings.

Here, Liverpool.com scans other big clubs in the Premier League and across Europe to see news from other clubs.

Messi is greeted with hostility

Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi’s name was apparently booed by some of the club’s fans ahead of Sunday’s match against Lyon.

This comes after Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste confirmed last week that the La Liga giants are looking to bring Messi back to Camp Nou (via Goal). Yuste says that Blaugrana have already contacted the player’s father, Jorge Messi.

Messi was forced to leave Barcelona in 2021 amid the club’s financial crisis and signed a two-year deal with PSG.

This contract expires this summer and although there is an option to extend it for another year, it is not clear if it will be exercised.

In a video from the Parc des Princes (via Goal), the announcement of Messi’s addition to the squad is met with a few whistles, apparently from PSG ultras.

Christophe Galtier’s side would lose the game 1-0 thanks to a 56th-minute goal from Bradley Barcola. Tuchel rejects Potter’s resignation

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says Graham Potter’s sacking has not stirred up “great emotions” in him.

Potter was nominated to succeed Tuchel in September after German was sacked.

It wasn’t until 24 March that Bayern confirmed Tuchel would be Nagelsmann’s replacement, with Potter losing his job just over a week later before Chelsea’s clash with Liverpool.

Tuchel admits the coincidence is “quite surprising” but says his reaction has been toned down as he has moved on following the disappointment of leaving Chelsea.

“I found out late last night from a text on my phone,” he said (via The Athletic). “The timing is quite surprising because it coincides with when I start here. Now there is another coaching vacancy. That’s all.

“It took me some time to distance myself [after my firing] because I really loved working there and made lifelong friendships with the staff there.

“It was a difficult time. But the club has changed a lot. It helped me take some distance. That’s why it didn’t arouse great emotions in me.”

Liverpool.com says: I wonder if Chelsea and even Spurs will kick each other that they didn’t act earlier while Tuchel was still available. He was a Champions League-winning manager in 2021, guiding the Blues to two consecutive top-four finishes and earning more time than he received.

The triangle could still be completed as the west London side have identified Nagelsmann as a candidate for their next boss, according to Sky Sports.