PSG president hails Blanc arrival

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al Khelaifi has hailed the appointment of “ambitious” Laurent Blanc.

The Frenchman was officially confirmed as the club’s new manager on Tuesday after signing a two-year deal to replace Carlo Ancelotti at the Parc des Princes.

And Al Khelaifi, whose sizeable investment helped the club to the Ligue 1 title last term, says he is delighted to welcome the 47-year-old.

“I’m very happy with this choice,” he said. “He’s an ambitious coach. He did good work with Bordeaux and also had success with France in a very difficult period.

“He’s the best choice for us. I’m confident. He’s going to do very good work and help us achieve our objectives.”

The Qatari businessman also outlined his aims for PSG under Blanc, saying: “(We want to) win one of the domestic cup competitions and get big results in the Champions League.

“We’re not saying we have to reach the quarters or the semi-finals because, in that competition, a lot depends on your opponents and the draw.

“The most important thing is to do your utmost to go as far as possible. But we know that it’s not easy to play on all fronts.”

Despite his happiness with Blanc’s arrival, Al Khelaifi went on to admit that the new boss is not in the same class as his predecessor Ancelotti.

“Carlo Ancelotti is among the top five coaches in the world. If you have to replace Ancelotti, you have to do it with someone at least as good, if not better. The moment you don’t do that, it’s a step back,” he continued.

“When you’re a club like PSG, when you have the sort of ambitious project the Qataris [the PSG ownership] have, and when you lose Ancelotti, people think you’re then going to go out and get a great coach.

“In international terms, it’s a fact – Laurent Blanc is not in that bracket.”