Mauricio Pochettino has sensationally called for Chelsea to be stripped of their 2017 Premier League title and the trophy handed to Tottenham.
The Argentine believes his former club should face a sporting punishment after admitting to 74 breaches of Football Association regulations relating to payments made during Roman Abramovich’s ownership.
Chelsea received a £10million fine but avoided a points deduction or any retrospective action against their previous successes.
The breaches included £47m in secret payments to unregistered agents between 2011 and 2018. Deals involving Eden Hazard, Willian and David Luiz were among those connected to the payments.
All three players became major figures at Stamford Bridge, with Hazard scoring 16 Premier League goals as Antonio Conte’s side won the title during the 2016-17 campaign.
Tottenham finished seven points behind their London rivals under Pochettino after mounting the strongest title challenge in the club’s modern history.
Spurs scored 86 goals and conceded just 26, becoming the only team in Premier League history to boast both the best attacking and defensive records in a season without finishing top.
Pochettino, who was dismissed by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy in November 2019, now believes the authorities should reconsider the outcome.
“I have no doubt and I’m not scared to say the truth,” said the 54-year-old, who has agreed a new four-year contract with the United States national team.
“The Chelsea fans will be upset with me because I’m saying this.
“It’s not me complaining. It’s the truth.
“If they admitted they broke the rules, the Premier League title was for the second best team.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
- Joey Essex reveals he was 'nearly put in hospital' by British boxing star
- Non-league side reports individual for impersonating club's manager
- Michael Schumacher's wife makes rare admission about F1 icon in emotional documentary trailer
“Otherwise, what is being promoted and incentivised is to break the rules. They admitted, so that’s it. The title should be for the team that was second.”
Pochettino and his long-serving assistant Jesus Perez remain convinced Tottenham were placed at an unfair disadvantage by conduct reminiscent of what former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger once labelled “financial doping”.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss also spent one season in charge of Chelsea before leaving following disagreements with the club’s hierarchy.
However, he insists his stance would be unchanged had Tottenham committed the same breaches while he was in north London.
“If we were at Tottenham and broke the rules I’d admit the same and say, ‘Look, we don’t deserve the title because we broke the rules’,” Pochettino added.
“You don’t have some clubs playing with the offside Laws and VAR and another side without them. That’s impossible.
“For everyone it needs to be the same rules and the same capacity to create the best team.
“I’m not saying they didn’t play well. That was Conte, the coach was great, and everything.
“But if you broke the rules, in the moment, then ‘ciao’ – you need to give it to another team.”
Pochettino has also admitted he remains “always open” to an emotional Tottenham return, having previously left in 2019.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
from GB News https://ift.tt/8tJDWkT
via IFTTT
Thank you for your message!