Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has declared that he will “never manage Arsenal” as he prepares to return to Tottenham on Monday.
The former Spurs boss was once rumoured to be in contention for the Arsenal job when Unai Emery was sacked four years ago.
He had a successful five-year stint with Spurs, even leading them to a Champions League final, before his dismissal in 2019. After a stint with Paris Saint-Germain, he took the reins at Chelsea earlier this summer, which unsettled a large portion of Tottenham fans given the intense rivalry with the London club.
Tottenham host Chelsea in the Premier League’s headline fixture of the weekend on Monday night.
Addressing the prospect of facing his former club, Pochettino said, “I always said the club I will never manage is Arsenal. I considered them the worst enemy of Tottenham.”
He acknowledged that his return to Tottenham would be bittersweet after four years but emphasised the need to move forward, as it is just part of life.
"It will be special" 💪
Mauricio Pochettino on returning to Tottenham as the Chelsea manager 🔵 pic.twitter.com/g0iykrGXVt
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 3, 2023
When asked about the reception he expects from Spurs fans, Pochettino chose not to speculate. “The most important is people know we cannot forget what we lived together,” he stated. “It won’t change my emotions, my feelings about a club where we spent an unbelievable journey.”
Although Pochettino was linked with a return to Tottenham last year, he maintains that such a return was never on the cards, and claims the opportunity at Chelsea came along at the right time.
Speaking more generally about Monday’s game, Pochettino added, “It’s going to be weird Harry Kane is not going to be there. He’s a big part of the history of Tottenham and it will be weird not to see him.
“My centre-backs need to stop [Son]. We know him and he’s one of the best players in the Premier League. I hope it’s not going to be a good night for him.”
Quizzed about whether he believes his former club are genuine title contenders, Pochettino replied, “Yes I think. They are doing a fantastic job. You feel they can be a contender. It is early in the season but they are showing the quality to be a contender.”
Read our preview, predictions, and betting tips for Tottenham vs Chelsea here.
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