Speaking to the press ahead of his return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has discussed his feelings about going back to the club and how he thinks the fans will react.
Pochettino oversaw one of the more successful and positive periods in the recent history of Tottenham Hotspur and was certainly one of the most popular managers among the fanbase.
Leading the side to second-place finishes in the Premier League and a Champions League final, while playing exciting football with a young squad, it’s safe to say Pochettino’s tenure entertained fans, but will always go down as a string of ‘nearly’ moments.
The Argentinian was sacked in November 2019, just six months after that Champions League final defeat to Liverpool. After a stint with PSG, and rumours of a Spurs return, Pochettino eventually took over at London rivals Chelsea this summer.
Things are very different now, for the club and the manager. Tottenham are unbeaten in the league under new boss Ange Postecoglou, while Pochettino is struggling to find the winning formula with the Blues.
Monday’s London derby will be an intriguing test for both clubs, and all eyes will be on Pochettino upon his return. In his latest press conference (via Football.London), the Chelsea boss was asked about his feelings on the matter.
He said: “It’s special to come back after four years to a place we have amazing memories… [It’s a] good opportunity to come back and see people who are still working there. Exciting moment.”
On the kind of reception he expects, Pochettino added: “I’m not going to say anything at the moment because until Monday we cannot guess.
“The most important is people know we cannot forget what we lived together. It won’t change my emotions, my feelings about a club where we spent an unbelievable journey.”
The 51-year-old saw the light of the situation, too, though. When asked if it was like visiting an ex-girlfriend, he said: “It’s difficult because it’s been nearly 32 years with my wife and I don’t know if I remember or even if I had a girlfriend before my wife.”
Pochettino also admitted he had considered visiting the stadium previously but with a caveat: “No [I haven’t been back yet]. I was thinking to dress in a different way but I think it was too risky.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It’s going to be really strange when Poch comes back on Monday. Until now, I’ve pretty much ignored the fact that he is in the Chelsea dugout, but this makes it very real. He deserves a positive reaction from the crowd, but I just hope he doesn’t leave the game feeling happy.
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