Follow Al Rai
Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino has called for Chelsea to be stripped of their 2016-2017 Premier League title due to breaches of financial fair play rules, and for the trophy to be awarded to the runners-up at the time, Tottenham.
Last July, Chelsea was fined $10 million and handed a two-window transfer ban for violating Premier League rules during the era of former owner Roman Abramovich.
The club admitted to 74 breaches of Football Association regulations, relating to player agents, dealings with intermediaries, and third-party investment in players.
Current owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital voluntarily reported these irregularities to football authorities in 2022 while completing the acquisition of the club from the Russian billionaire Abramovich.
The violations included the transfers of Belgian Eden Hazard, Brazilians Willian and David Luiz, and Serbian Nemanja Matić to Stamford Bridge—deals that played a pivotal role in the 'Blues' winning the 2016-2017 title under Italian coach Antonio Conte.
Pochettino, whose Tottenham side finished seven points behind Chelsea that season, believes the sanctions imposed by the authorities were not sufficient.
He told reporters: "We should have won a Premier League title, and the championship should have been awarded to us."
He added: "If what happened is true, we deserve to be the champions of that year, for sure. They were punished and admitted to the violations, right? So that's it. The title should go to the team that finished second."
He continued: "We can say they scored goals and won matches, fine. But it is completely fair to say that we did not start the season competing with the same cards."
He further stated: "Perhaps, if the rules were the same for everyone, we would have signed some players who would have made the team better or helped it score more goals."
Pochettino, who currently manages the US national team and oversaw them during the 2026 World Cup, previously managed Chelsea during the 2023-2024 season.
The Argentine coach said: "I have no doubt about that, and I am not afraid to tell the truth. Chelsea fans will be angry with me, but if we were at Tottenham and broke the rules, I would admit the same thing: we don't deserve the title because we broke the rules."
He added: "It is impossible for some clubs to play by the offside rule while another club plays without it. Or for one team to use VAR while another does not."
Pochettino stressed the need to apply the same rules to everyone, saying: "The rules must be the same for everyone. Then you have the ability to build the best team."
He clarified: "I am not saying that Chelsea did not play well, or that Conte was not a great coach. I am not saying that, and I do not want my message to be twisted."
He highlighted: "But if you break the rules, you have to say goodbye, and the championship should be awarded to another team. I don't know why that didn't happen."
He added: "What is being promoted and encouraged is breaking the rules."
Last month, Pochettino extended his contract with the United States until the 2030 World Cup.
Know more about this story?Send us a tip
Ask about this report — answers stay grounded in its text.
