Mauricio Pochettino would not quite be the youngest manager to reach the European Cup final with two different clubs. But it’s pretty close.
Mauricio Pochettino would become only the tenth manager to reach a European Cup or Champions League final with two different clubs if he can guide Paris Saint-Germain past Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals.
PSG avenged their 2020 final defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday by holding out for a 1-0 loss at the Parc des Princes, securing safe passage through to the last four on away goals.
Pochettino suggested the Champions League is “completely different” now in comparison to two years ago when he finished as runners-up with Tottenham.
If he can take PSG past City or Dortmund in the next round he would be one of the youngest managers to ever reach a European Cup or Champions League final with two different teams. Pep Guardiola, as it happens, would slot in at fourth on this list.
Avram Grant, when he inevitably makes it to the grandest stage again with anyone other than Chelsea next year, would sadly be the oldest. This season was his last chance to beat this man…
Jupp Heynckes
First final: 1998
Age: 53
Club: Real Madrid
Outcome: 1-0 win v Juventus
Next final with different club: 2012
Age: 67
Club: Bayern Munich
Outcome: 1-1 v Chelsea, 4-3 defeat on penalties
Vujadin Boskov
First final: 1981
Age: 49
Club: Real Madrid
Outcome: 1-0 defeat v Liverpool
Next final with different club: 1992
Age: 61
Club: Sampdoria
Outcome: 1-0 defeat v Barcelona AET
Louis van Gaal
First final: 1995
Age: 43
Club: Ajax
Outcome: 1-0 win v AC Milan
Next final with different club: 2010
Age: 58
Club: Bayern Munich
Outcome: 2-0 defeat v Inter Milan
Ranking every Champions League final from worst to best
Carlo Ancelotti
First final: 2003
Age: 43
Club: AC Milan
Outcome: 0-0 v Juventus, 3-2 win on penalties
Next final with different club: 2014
Age: 54
Club: Real Madrid
Outcome: 4-1 win v Atletico Madrid AET
Ernst Happel
First final: 1970
Age: 44
Club: Feyenoord
Outcome: 2-1 win v Celtic AET
Next final with different club: 1978
Age: 52
Club: Club Brugge
Outcome: 1-0 defeat v Liverpool
Next final with another different club: 1983
Age: 57
Club: Hamburg
Outcome: 1-0 win v Juventus
Jurgen Klopp
First final: 2013
Age: 45
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Outcome: 2-1 defeat v Bayern Munich
Next final with different club: 2018
Age: 50
Club: Liverpool
Outcome: 3-1 defeat v Real Madrid
Ottmar Hitzfeld
First final: 1997
Age: 48
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Outcome: 3-1 win v Juventus
Next final with different club: 1999
Age: 50
Club: Bayern Munich
Outcome: 2-1 defeat v Manchester United
Mauricio Pochettino?
First final: 2019
Age: 47
Club: Tottenham
Outcome: 2-0 defeat v Liverpool
Next final with different club: 2021?
Age: 49
Club: PSG
Outcome: A 3-1 win v Chelsea, a 2-0 defeat v Real Madrid or a 5-0 win v Liverpool
Jose Mourinho
First final: 2004
Age: 41
Club: Porto
Outcome: 3-0 win v Monaco
Next final with different club: 2010
Age: 47
Club: Inter Milan
Outcome: 2-0 win v Bayern Munich
Udo Lattek
First final: 1974
Age: 39
Club: Bayern Munich
Outcome: 4-0 win v Atletico Madrid (replay after 1-1 AET draw)
Next final with different club: 1977
Age: 42
Club: Borussia Monchengladbach
Outcome: 3-1 defeat v Liverpool
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