Chelsea boss Pochettino reveals whether return to Spurs was ever close before ‘really special’ reunion
Ahead of Monday night’s London derby, Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that returning to Tottenham Hotspur will be “really special”.
Pochettino previously did a phenomenal job as Tottenham manager as he guided them to their first Champions League final.
The 51-year-old left Spurs before the end of 2019 after around 300 games in charge across all competitions.
The Argentinian went on to endure a rough spell at PSG before he took over at Chelsea ahead of this season. His job at Stamford Bridge was always going to be difficult after they finished 12th in 2022/23.
Chelsea – who have won four points from behind this season – have shown signs of progress in recent weeks but their 2-0 loss to Brentford last weekend leaves them 11th in the table and eleven points adrift of the Champions League places.
The Blues travel to face Spurs on Monday night. Ange Postecoglou’s side have been a breath of fresh air this season and they are currently two points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Pochettino is expecting Monday to be a “happy day” as it will be “really special to go back” to Tottenham.
“It’s really special to go back to a place where we created amazing memories together. It’s special, I’m not going to lie. That is true,” Pochettino told reporters.
“When we left the club it was a difficult moment but now I have the opportunity to come back and see many people who are still working there. It will be an exciting moment.
“I always said that clubs I wouldn’t manage are Arsenal, because they are considered the worst enemy for Tottenham, and Barcelona, because of Espanyol.
“Now it’s strange to come back after four years and for me it will be a happy day. That is life, we need to move on. We are professional but at the same time we are human and we feel.”
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Pochettino also refused to speculate about the kind of reception he will receive from Spurs fans.
“I’m not going to say anything at the moment. Until Monday, we can’t guess,” Pochettino added.
“We can’t forget everything we lived together and I’m going to respect the people and how they feel. It won’t change my feelings though.”
When asked if there was ever a chance he could have returned to Tottenham for a second stint as manager, he answered: “No. When we finished or relationship with Paris St-Germain we wanted one year outside of football and then the offer with Chelsea arrived and I’m happy to be here.”
Reece James recently returned to the fold for Chelsea and while he may not start against Tottenham, he is “available” for selection.
“I don’t know, we’ll see. We’ll see first of all if he is available,” Pochettino continued. “It was good for him to start the game [against Blackburn] after a few months [out]. He’s our captain and a very important player.”
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